Hermione's Last Year
by fireballazur
Summary: It's Hermione's last year...and she's Head Girl. Nothing you couldn't figure out on your own. Lotsa fluff and whatnot, but, hey, some people like that. I had this up earlier, but had to take it down and re-post.
1. Changed

**Chapter 1**

Hermione sighed. "When can I take this stupid thing off?" she asked her friend.

"That blindfold stays on until I'm done with you. You are NOT going back to your co-ed boarding school with a nice body and that weird bushy hair. It just doesn't work. Yeesh," Hermione's friend replied, tugging extra hard on Hermione's hair. "You're going to look like a Victoria's Secret model when I'm done with you."

"Will you get me the wings?" Hermione joked.

"No way, I'm not made of money!"

"Come on, Kelly, this is so silly. I mean, it's just my hair," Hermione protested.

Kelly smacked her lightly. "Only hair?! Man, your hair can make all the difference. You know, you used to be...well, no offense, but you were all chubby and dumpy and frizzy and unattractive. But now you're all Barbie, and I feel that I need to finish it off. Barbies don't have bushy hair."

"Mine did. I used to brush it a lot," replied Hermione.

"And then it all fell out," said Kelly.

"Precisely," said Hermione as the girls burst into a fit of giggles.

"Ok, almost done," Kelly told Hermione, giving one last tug with the brush.

"It'd better not be straight. I hate straight hair. It looks silly on me," said Hermione, tugging off her blindfold.

The previously chubby, dumpy, frizzy, and unattractive girl gaped at the mirror in front of her. That summer she had spent all of her time on the beach drinking strawberry daiquiris, tanning her pale buns off. Consequently, since the only thing going into her mouth was alcohol and fruit (it was a resort, and they had gone to Mexico, so it was legal for Hermione at the time) and the occasional martini when the resort hosted their swanky "teen" parties, she had lost a bit of weight. Her stomach was nearly board-flat, and toned. The result was a really hot girl, even if Hermione didn't know it. She was a nice golden color, and her hair had lost its flat brown color. Kelly had turned her bush into sleek, smooth curls that framed her face and bounced every time she moved her head.

Once Hermione had regained her speech, she turned to Kelly. "I love it. It's so perfect!"

A/N! Oh I'm so excited. This is my first story. Please read and review. I'm putting up four chapters today, so tell me what you think! And my computer was being weird, so I took this story down and now I'm putting it back up. Thanks for the reviews, I love you guys, and I'll proofread from now on!

By the way, if you're not into the classic Hermione/Draco thing with fluff and whatnot, then this might not be for you? I'll try to be creative, and I'm definitely loving input if you want to help me out a bit.


	2. Diagon Alley

Chapter 2 

The day before she had to catch the train at King's Cross, Hermione rolled out of bed. It was 10 o'clock in the morning, and the sun was shining through her blinds. She rubbed her eyes and yawned before pattering across the hall to take a shower.

When she finished, she toweled off, and pulled on a black miniskirt and a red tank-top, both a part of her new wardrobe, courtesy of Kelly, as well as a pair of flip flops. She grabbed her car keys and her bag, and went downstairs.

"Hey, mom, I'm going to Diagon Alley today. I'll be home around dinner time," said Hermione.

"Ok, honey, have fun," her mother said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Hermione popped out the door, and hopped in her car. She started the engine, and backed out of the driveway.

As she drove to London, she wished that she had called Harry or sent him and Ron an owl. She felt weird going to Diagon Alley on her own, and she hadn't seen them all summer. She chewed her lip as she pulled into a parking garage down the street from the wizard alley, and parked. She got out of the car and locked it. She walked to the Leaky Cauldron, the entrance to Diagon Alley, and entered the small, dingy pub.

She strode towards the back exit, past a table with a tall, lanky redhead sitting at it with a muscular black-haired boy sitting across from him. She didn't notice, but they noticed her.

"Geez, who's that and why haven't I met her before?" asked Harry.

"Hey, I thought you liked Hermione!" said Ron. "Anyways, she'd like me better."

Hermione turned around at the mention of her name. "Ron? Harry?"

"Shit, Hermione!" said Harry. "Did you hear all of that?"

"Yes, good to see you too," she said, pulling up a chair next to Harry.

"Uh, well can we pretend you didn't hear that for now?" muttered Harry.

"Yeah, fine, no worries man. So how's your summer been?" she asked, turning to Ron, who was speechless. He was so surprised by Hermione's appearance.

"Oh, uh, it was pretty good. We were just at the Burrow, you know, and we were buying our stuff today," said Ron, snapping out of his trance.

"Cool. Harry, no more weird summer happenings?"

"Nope, I went to the Burrow after a month of hell. It's been fun since then," he said, looking at Ron.

"Oh yeah, loads of fun," said Ron. "How was your summer?"

"I was in Cancun for most of the summer," she said.

"That explains the wicked tan," said a voice from behind her.

"Ginny! Oh I've missed you so much!" said Hermione, suffocating her friend in a hug. "I did find a replacement for you this summer. She did this to my hair."

"Well," said Ginny, checking out her friend, "she's not too bad. Especially for a muggle."

"Hey! I've known her since I was 5 years old, thank you very much," said Hermione in a mock angry voice.

"Ok, so I have to go get my stuff. Are you guys going home soon?" she asked.

"Yeah, we have to get back for lunch, sadly," said Ron. "Mum's making a...well, I don't know what she's making, but she'd murder us if we weren't there in time."

"Oh, cool, sorry I couldn't come to the Burrow this year. We didn't get back from the beach until 2 days ago," said Hermione.

"Don't worry bout it," said Ginny. "See you on the train tomorrow, then!"  
"Don't count on it," said Hermione, causing Harry, Ron, and Ginny to stop dead in their tracks. "I forgot to tell you, I got Head Girl. So I have to do all those stupid things."

"Oh that's too bad. We'll at least see you at the feast, right?" asked Harry, looking sad.

"Of course! I would never pass up a chance to spend time with you guys," said Hermione. "I'll see you later!"

"Bye!" chorused the Weasleys and Harry.

Hermione pulled her bag up farther on her shoulder and left the pub. She tapped the bricks on the wall in the back alley, and they opened to reveal Diagon Alley in all of its greatness.

She had finished shopping for the day, with all of her new school supplies, as well as a fancy new set of dress robes, and decided to stop at the ice cream shop for some ice cream.

"One mint chocolate chip, please," she said to the woman at the counter.

As the woman scooped Hermione's ice cream, a tall blond-haired boy walked up next to her. "Mint chocolate chip," he said to the woman. He then turned to Hermione and opened his mouth to say something, but did a double take and blinked really hard.

"Granger?!" he said.

"Malfoy," she replied, calmly, taking her ice cream and paying for it.

Draco Malfoy regained his cool. "Stupid mudblood." Kind of.

She just turned around and walked away, unaware of Draco's eyes following her swaying ass.


	3. Head Girl

Chapter 3 

She had woken up, showered, pulled on a tank top and a pair of jeans, grabbed her purse, and run out the door, much like the previous morning. When she got to King's Cross, she heaved her trunk onto a trolley, pushed it through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 onto platform 9 ¾, and found her friends.

"Heya Harry, Ron," she said, grinning at them.

"Hey Hermione," they replied.

"Do you know who the Head Boy is yet?" asked Ron, shooting a glance at Harry.

"No, why?"

"Well," said Harry, chewing his lip, "Um..."

"If it isn't the famous Potter, the poor Weasel, and the stupid mudblood."

"Screw off, Malfoy," said Harry, pulling out his wand.

"No need to get violent, I just came over here to tell the Head Girl that we need to go up to the front car," said Malfoy, turning around.

"Wait, what do you mean we?" asked Hermione.

"I mean the Head Boy and Head Girl, you idiot," said Malfoy before walking away. Hermione gaped at Harry and Ron.

"We're sorry, 'Mione, we were just about to tell you," said Ron.

"Shit. This is going to be the worst year ever," Hermione said.

Hermione was seated at the front of the compartment, next to Draco Malfoy. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she was looking out the window determinedly. They had to sit together, as Head Boy and Girl, but they didn't have to talk. Draco, however, figured out that she was not looking his way, so he took this as a sign that he could check out her new body. Her thin legs were crossed, and her shoulders were a nice brown color. Her chest was nearly popping out of her shirt, and Malfoy, as much as he hated her, just wanted to jump her right then and there.

"You know, Malfoy, if you'd put your eyes back in your head, you'd realize that we're almost there," Hermione said, turning around. She assumed that his stillness was caused by him looking at Pansy, but he didn't know that.

"I'll have you know I was daydreaming, and my eyes just froze," he said defensively.

"Right, froze perfectly on Pansy," she replied. The girl she was speaking of was sitting across the aisle and two rows back and waved at Draco when he turned her way. Everyone knew that she was like his own personal whore.

Malfoy breathed in, realizing that Hermione had thought he was staring at Pansy. Thank god.

Everyone changed into their robes, and filed out of the compartments after the train stopped.

_Ahh, Hogwarts, _thought Hermione. _It's so good to be back now._

They took the thestral-drawn carriages to the castle and walked into the Great Hall. Hermione sat with Ron and Harry, exhausted. She wanted this whole thing to be over with.

The sorting began and ended, and Dumbledore got up to do his annual beginning of the school year speech.

"This year," Dumbledore began, "the staff has agreed that we should focus on school unity. Different houses cooperating and all of that jazz," his eye twinkled, "and therefore we will begin with two of the best pupils at Hogwarts right now. One is Miss Hermione Granger."

Hermione stood up to a slight patter of applause, wondering where this was going. _He's probably going to go on about how the Heads should get along_

"...And the other is Mister Draco Malfoy." Another patter of applause. Malfoy stood up.

"These two are our Head Girl and Head Boy this year. Please respect them. So back to where I was before about unity...The Heads are to be rooming together this year in order to promote house unity. And Mr. Filch has asked me to..." Hermione's head was full of thoughts as she sat down.

_Room with Malfoy?! Is Dumbledore insane?! Malfoy will probably curse me or kill me or rape me or something awful! I can't believe this!_

"I swear to god, Hermione, if he does anything to you, I'll murder him in his sleep. I really will," said Harry.

"This is totally not fair," said Hermione, sadly.

Hermione's anger at having to share a common room with Draco Malfoy melted away as soon as she stepped behind the tapestry that hid the entrance to their room. It was a huge room that had a high ceiling. There was a fireplace on the right wall and what seemed like an entire library on the left side. In front of the fireplace were two couches and a low table. On the far wall in the middle of the room, there were two doors, one silver and one gold.

"Well, your room is the gold door, Miss Granger, and Mister Malfoy, yours is the silver. You can only access the bathroom from the rooms. Have a nice night," said Professor McGonagall. She left through the way they came in.

"Bathroom?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, bathroom. What, do you not shower or something?" said Malfoy.

"No, as in bathroom. Singular."

"Oh. Whatever."

"Whatever?!"

"God, stop freaking out, you weirdo. What's wrong with sharing a bathroom?"

"Dude, you're Malfoy!"

"Oh, it's ok if you can't keep your hands off of me. I've been with uglier," he said, walking to his door.

"I doubt you've been with anyone," she replied, heading towards her door.

He grabbed her arm. "I'll have you know that I've got a line of girls waiting for me. So don't come in my room if there's a tie on the door," he winked.

"Agh, disgusting." She yanked her arm from his grip and went into her room. Her anger melted away again when she saw the king-sized four-poster bed. It had a bright red canopy on it with gold trim and matching sheets. Her room was painted in a matching color scheme, and she had a desk on the wall opposite her bed. Next to the desk was a floor-length mirror. All of her clothes (and there were a lot of them) were hung up in her closet or folded and put in a drawer. Maybe being Head Girl wouldn't be so bad after all.


	4. First Day

**Chapter 4**

Hermione got out of bed the next morning and realized she hadn't checked out her new bathroom yet. She took her shampoo and conditioner, and went through the door to the bathroom.

She was amazed yet again. This bathroom made the prefect's bathroom look like a broom closet with a ditch in it. There was a bath the sized of an Olympic swimming pool, and the tile on the floors was gold. There was a large sauna in one corner and a four-person jacuzzi in the other, both with gold tile. There was a long counter with two gold sinks in it and a long mirror above it. Malfoy had apparently already set his stuff up, as there were some hair products and a toothbrush on his side of the sink.

Hermione put her shampoo and conditioner on the side of the bathtub, and took her clothes off, hanging them on the wall next to the towels. She slid into the pool and did a few laps before diving down to the bottom of the pool. As soon as she hit the bottom, she heard a splash from the surface and looked up. Twelve feet above her was a blurry, naked man.

Hermione held her breath as long as she could, but after about ten seconds, she couldn't hold it in any longer. She slowly rose to the surface, making a mental note to lock the doors leading to the bathroom from then on. Her head popped slowly out of the water, and she turned her head to face Malfoy, who did the same to her.

A smirk spread across his face as he raised his eyebrow. "Well, Granger," he said, his muscular torso bobbing above the water, "I'm speechless, for once."

"Good. Now turn around so I can get out," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I will do no such thing," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest mockingly.

"Why, do you want to see me in all of my nasty mudblood glory?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Indeed I do," he replied, swimming to the opposite edge of the pool and resting his arms on the side. Hermione bit her lip as she checked out his arms and chest. _Oh he's so hot. Wait, no! That's Malfoy, you're talking about, Hermione! Knock some sense into yourself!_

Hermione swam slowly over to the side where she had left her clothes and wand. She grabbed her wand, pointed it at a towel, and said, "_Accio_ towel!" The towel zoomed into her arm that was stretched high above the water. She pulled it under and wrapped the fluffy towel around her body and climbed out of the pool. She dried the towel off with a flick of her wand.

"You know, I really don't get your problem at all, Malfoy," she said as she pulled her pajamas off the hook. "We're living together, so why don't we just try to get along?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes at her. "Well, if it means that much to you, I guess I can try."

"Thanks," she replied sarcastically as she walked through the door back to her room. She changed into her robes, fixed her hair, grabbed her bookbag, and headed off towards the Great Hall for breakfast.

Halfway there, she ran into Dean and Seamus. "Woah, hey Hermione, how'd your summer go?" asked Seamus.

"I went to Mexico, it was a blast," she said. "How about you guys?"

"I did absolutely nothing, it was boring," said Seamus.

"Same here," said Dean. "I'm glad one of us had some fun." Hermione laughed.

They walked through the doors of the Great Hall to see Harry and Ron seated across from each other at the table. Hermione sat next to Harry, and Seamus and Dean sat across from her.

"Hey 'Mione, how's life?" asked Ron.

"And the dick that you have to live with?" added Harry.

Hermione laughed. "He's Malfoy, as usual. Not any different than ever before."

"And how's your room?" asked Harry.

"Oh my god, it's so beautiful. I'll bring you guys in some time," she promised.

Ron wiggled his eyebrows at Harry. "Sure you'll love that, mate," he said. Harry blushed. Hermione, however, didn't notice this, as she was busy buttering some toast.

Their schedules were passed out, and Hermione found that the Gryffindors had the pleasure of beginning the day with Hagrid in his Care of Magical Creatures class. After that was Charms, then lunch, and double Potions with the Slytherins. As usual. Hermione sighed.

"Every year, it's always the same. Our worst class with those stupid Slytherins," said Harry. "Oh why, Professor Dumbledore? Why do you torture us so?" He threw his arms in the air, and the group cracked up.

They finished breakfast, and picked up their bags. They walked out to Hagrid's hut in the warm leftover summer air. Before they could reach it, Hagrid walked out holding a large crate.

"Hey, Hagrid," said Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Mornin', you three," said Hagrid as he put down the crate. "Ready for the firs' lesson o' the year?"

"Of course," said Ron, eyeing the crate rather nervously. It had begun to shake a bit. "Er...that's not another skrewt, is it?" he asked.

"O' course not," Hagrid said. "Yeh'll have to wait for yer lesson to fin' out what it is, though."

"D'you think it's something really dangerous?" Harry whispered in Hermione's ear.

Hermione turned to him. "Of course it is, this is Hagrid we're talking about here."

Over Harry's shoulder, she saw the rest of their class coming over the hill towards them. When they got closer, Harry moaned. "I forgot we had this class with them."

He was, of course, referring to Draco Malfoy and his followers. When they approached the cabin, Malfoy whispered something into Pansy Parkinson's ear, and she laughed a high-pitched, annoying laugh. Crabbe and Goyle joined her in the laughing before Draco smacked them. "Idiots, you didn't even hear the joke," he told them.

"Alright, now that yer all here," Hagrid began, "I thought I'd begin the year wit' a nice easy creature." He removed the top of the crate effortlessly, revealing what seemed to be a piece of dead wood.

"Are you kidding?" said Malfoy.

"Does anyone know what it is?" asked Hagrid, ignoring Malfoy's comment.

Hermione rose her hand. She had instantly recognized it. "It's a Dugbog," she said. It was uncanny even to her how she always got things right.

"Good job, 'Ermione, ten points to Gryffindor," said Hagrid.

They spent the lesson without much happening, unless you counted the Dugbog lunging for Malfoy's ankles. They reviewed all they had learned from last year and were finally let go for their break.

"We'll see you later, Hagrid," Harry called.

"Bye!"

They decided to spend their break in the courtyard of the castle. Dean and Seamus found a bench and sat down. Harry and Ron squeezed on next to them.

"Oh, sorry, Hermione," said Harry, getting up.

"Don't worry. Sit back down," she said. He sat and she laid across the four boys, her feet in Dean's lap, and her head in Harry's.

"Dude, you guys should totally make out right now," said Seamus to Harry and Hermione.

Hermione and Harry shot each other looks. It didn't seem completely out of the question, but Hermione's better judgement told her not to.

"No, you really should," Dean piped up. "Unless Harry wants to have to deal with a certain crooked-nosed Hufflepuff, coming this way."

Hermione looked at Harry. "What?"

Harry looked desperate. "She asked me out three times this summer. _Three times!_ And once on the train, and once since we got back. She thinks that I'm going to change my mind, but I don't want to go out with her." Seeing the look on Hermione's face, he added, "Not that she isn't nice, but it is a bit creepy."

"Well you should deal with it! It's not my job to help you avoid her," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Fine," Harry said just as Eloise came up to him.

"Hey, Harry," she said.

"Hi," Harry replied, looking at the ground.

"Well, I know I've asked you this before, but I thought you might have changed your mind...so do you want to go to Hogsmeade when the next date comes?"

Hermione took pity on him. And she was staring at his muscular chest. And bright green eyes. And perfectly messy hair. She shook her head. She couldn't allow this man go to waste. "Sorry, Eloise, Harry's going with me," she said, lifting her head up off his lap. Harry pretended to look sorry.

"Oh, it's ok," Eloise began. "Have fun, then." And with that, she ran off.

"Thanks much, 'Mione," he said.

"Yeah, whatever," replied Hermione, grinning. She checked her watch. "Ahh we have to go, we can't be late for Charms!" She rolled gracefully off of the guys and picked her bag up off the ground. They walked to Charms.

They had practiced their banishing spells from last year and begun to work on conjuring spells. Hermione conjured a pincushion and worked her way up to a mouse during that one class. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had rushed off to lunch, eaten, and sadly crossed the Entrance Hall to the dungeons. Ron caught sight of Lavender and excused himself to go to the bathroom. As soon as he was gone, Harry moved closer to Hermione.

"You know," said Harry, "Ron is completely obsessed with that girl. He promised me that he'd ask her out as soon as we got back from break because I was so tired of listening to him blabber on about her. 'Lavender this, Lavender that'. It's enough to drive me completely insane."

Hermione grinned. "So who have you talked about all summer with Ron?" she asked him as they went down the stairs to the dungeons.

Harry blushed and ran a hand through his hair. "Nobody in particular," he replied.

"Come on," she said, tugging on his sleeve.

"Well, you already know, you heard me talking in the Leaky Cauldron."

"But I probably heard wrong," she said, still tugging. She most likely couldn't have heard him right anyways. Anyone like her? Not likely. Harry like her? Even less likely.

"Don't fake that, you know very well that I was talking about you," he said, suddenly interested in the floor.

Hermione's mouth hung open in surprise. Her lips slowly turned upward into a giant grin. "Hey, Harry, do you want to go to Hogsmeade for real?" she asked him.

Harry looked up from the floor. They were almost in the potions dungeon. "Hell yeah!" he said, laughing with relief.

They entered the room, and saw Snape at his desk. They started to sit down together, but Snape stopped them. "Miss Granger, Mister Potter, I have assigned you your partners for the year. Professor Dumbledore has decided that we should mix the houses together to promote unity more. Mister Potter, you will be working with Mister Goyle." Harry sighed. "And Miss Granger, you will be working with Mister Malfoy."

It took all of Hermione's willpower not to scream in frustration. She was so tired of Malfoy already, and they hadn't even finished their first day at Hogwarts. She reluctantly sat down in the back of the room with her new partner as the bell rang. Harry and Goyle were on the other side of Draco, and Ron came in to find that he was sitting with Crabbe, in front of Harry.

Snape cleared his throat. "Now that everybody is here, you can begin on your potions." Hermione sighed; it was just like Snape to start them off with something complicated. "The instructions are on the board, and the ingredients are in the cabinet." He flicked his wand, causing the instructions to appear and the cabinet to open.

"I'll go get the ingredients," Hermione told Malfoy as she got up. She got the items out of the cabinet, came back to the table, and dumped everything between her and Malfoy.

"Ok, so to make this sleeping draught...we put the powdered bicorn horn in the cauldron with a pinch of beetle pincers," Hermione said as she added the ingredients to the cauldron.

"I know what it says on the board," Malfoy snapped.

"Yes, well you can work on the rest of the potion then," Hermione said, turning her back to him.

"No way," Malfoy said, sneering. "I'm not your bitch."

Hermione contained a laugh as she imagined him actually being her bitch. "Anyways, if we're going to be potions partners for the entire year, then we might as well try to work together," she said. Draco raised an eyebrow. "Or we could flunk out of this class."

"Fine." He said this as he flipped his blond hair out of his face. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, pass me the dragon scales," she said. Draco obliged bitterly and watched Hermione shake them out of their container into the cauldron.

They worked together without having a conversation at all. By the end of the class, only their potion was the cloudy red color it was supposed to be.

Snape stopped at the cauldron. He seemed to have realized his fault in putting Draco and Hermione together. "Place a sample of your potion on my desk," he told them. He could say nothing bad to his prize student, but couldn't imagine being nice to the perfect Gryffindor.

Draco took care of the sample and walked it up to Snape's desk as the bell rang. Hermione disposed of the remainder, swung her bag over her shoulder, and headed out the door. Harry and Ron met her there.

"So how'd your first day go?" asked Harry. "Not that I wasn't with you all day."

"Awful. I'm so glad it's over," Hermione responded. "I'm so pissed that Malfoy's my freaking potions partner. He's such an ass!"

"Yeah, well, it's better than Crabbe," said Ron. "He's so thick that I'll never pass this class this year."

"Same for Goyle," said Harry. "Not that I care too much about that class. But you're lucky compared to us, Ron's right. At least you'll get good marks."

"If I don't kill Malfoy first," Hermione said, laughing. She saw the tapestry to her room up ahead. "Hold up, I have to drop off my bag first. Phoenix tears," she said to the tapestry. "Whoops, don't tell anyone I said that in front of you. The nobody except for teachers and the Heads are supposed to know the password."

"No worries, you can trust us," said Harry, grinning.

They stepped into the common room. Harry and Ron's mouths dropped as they took in everything. "Bloody hell, 'Mione," said Ron.

"Yeah, hold on," Hermione said as she ran up the gold stairs to her room. She opened the door and threw her stuff in. She closed the door and slid down the banister, meeting up with Harry and Ron at the bottom. They walked back towards the entrance, but Malfoy came through the tapestry and slammed into Harry. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm in order to stop him from punching the Slytherin.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Malfoy demanded.

"He was just waiting for me to drop off my bag," Hermione said, trying to hold Ron back as well.

"Yeah, well, this is my common room, and I don't want that slimeball in here." Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"Oh, you have no say in who I bring in here, ferret," she said, pulling her friends out the tapestry.

Ron grinned as they walked towards Gryffindor tower. "I still remember that like it was yesterday," he said, closing his eyes, remembering the time in their fourth year that Professor Moody transfigured Malfoy into a ferret and bounced him around the hallway. Harry and Hermione laughed.

The group was halfway to the portrait of the Fat Lady when they saw Neville. "Hey, Neville!" Hermione called. He stopped and turned.

"Hey, guys," Neville said.

"What class were you just coming from?" asked Ron.

"Muggle studies," he replied, holding up a book with _The Common Muggle and His Habits_ written on the front.

"You're so lucky you dropped Potions this year," said Harry.

"Why?" Neville asked. "How could it be worse now than before?"

"Well for one," said Ron, "the potions are way complicated."

"And he's given us a seating chart," Hermione added. "Harry's with Goyle, Ron's with Crabbe, and I'm with Malfoy. Not that I don't already live with the prick."

Neville winced. "I pity you."

"Thanks, it means a lot," said Hermione.

They reached the portrait. "Password?" asked the Fat Lady.

"Horklump," said Ron. The portrait swung open, and Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville crawled through. The common room was abuzz with activity after the first day of classes. Many of the fifth years were doing homework, the beginning of the O.W.L. year workload.

"Hermione!" two voices screamed before knocking her over in a bear hug. Lavender and Parvati got off of her and surveyed her. "Oh my god," said Parvati, "I almost didn't recognize you at all! You look so fabulous!"

"Thanks, you guys. All that summer sun did me good," said Hermione.

"We can tell," said Lavender. "And I love your hair!" she said, feeling Hermione's soft curls.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Girls."

"Hey, mate, you know you noticed, too," said Ron.

Harry ignored this comment. "Let's go put our bags upstairs. It's almost dinner time, anyways," he said. He and Ron went up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, leaving the squealing pair of girls with Hermione.

"Ohmigod," Lavender said quietly. "Maybe Harry will finally ask you out!"

Hermione grinned. "He already did!" She joined in the squealing this time, and they drew angry looks from the rest of the common room. "Oh wait, before I forget, Lav, what did Ron talk to you about today after lunch?"

"Well..." she said, looking around the room and grinning.

"Oh for goodness sake, Lavender," Parvati said, shooting a sardonic look at her friend. She turned to Hermione. "He asked her to Hogsmeade."

"Ohh, maybe we can double-date!" said Hermione. "Sorry, Par."

"Don't worry about it," said Parvati. "I've got me a guy in Ravenclaw."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Nice."

Harry and Ron came back downstairs, grinning about something.

"What are you two so happy about?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, nothing," they said in unison.

"Right."


	5. In the Bathroom

Chapter 5 

The next morning, Hermione woke up half an hour early. _Plenty of time to get in a good bath without that prick interrupting me again_, she thought to herself.

She rolled out of bed, and looked through her drawers. She pulled out a teal bandeau bathing suit with brown flowers on it and changed into it, just in case. Hermione threw a robe on top of this and grabbed all of her toiletries. She brought everything through the bathroom door and put it on her side of the sinks. _Much better_, she thought, as she spread everything out. She had muggle hair products, as well as magical ones. She set up her toothbrush and toothpaste in her cup, and her makeup. Her possessions outnumbered Malfoy's, finally.

She pulled off her robe and hung it up next to the towels. Surveying the taps on the side of the tub, she turned a few on and waited for the pool to fill up. In a short time, it was finished, and she slipped in the pool. She finished washing her hair and put the conditioning mask on. She had to wait five minutes for it to finish, so she propped her arms up on the side of the pool and rested her head on them, and allowed her mind to wander.

_I'm so excited for the Hogsmeade trip_, she thought. _Only three weeks! Harry's such a sweetie for asking me. I wonder if he really does like me. But what if he realizes I've only ever kissed a guy? Will he think I'm a prude? No, Harry shouldn't care about that. He shouldn't. He won't._ She lifted her head to check the clock on the wall. Five minutes were up. She dipped her head under the water and rubbed the leftover conditioner through her hair. At that moment, much to her dismay, Draco Malfoy came through the door. His eyes were closed and he was wearing a pair of black silk boxers as he shuffled to the sink. Hermione closed her eyes, willing him to go away so that she wouldn't have to deal with him.

Luckily for her, he didn't realize she was there, and he returned to his room. Hermione hauled ass out of the tub and put on a towel, but not before Malfoy could return.

"You know, Granger, we've really got to stop meeting like this," he said, smirking.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know, Malfoy, you've really got to stop being such an asshole." She picked up her clothes and began walking towards the door. However, Malfoy sprinted in front of her and reached it just in time. He blocked it from her.

"Let me out, ferret."

"No."

"So how am I supposed to get out?"

There was a nasty glint in Draco's eye that made Hermione uneasy. "Well, my dear mudblood," he said, looking her up and down. "How would you like to get out?"

Hermione shuddered. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you'll have to go through me."

_Any other ways out? Any other ways out? There have to be other ways out,_ she thought to herself. _Malfoy's door!_ _Of course._ She ran over to it and tried to open it, but found that it was locked. She tried Alohomora, but it didn't work. Across the room, Malfoy chuckled.

She walked calmly back over to Malfoy. _I can't believe I'm about to do this, _she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and bit her lip, looking up into Malfoy's cold gray eyes. _I can't believe I'm about to do this...this is so disgusting..._

Hermione closed her eyes and, using her free hand, pulled the Slytherin's face towards her. _So gross, so gross, so...what?_ Once Malfoy got over the initial shock of Hermione's actions, he began to kiss her back. And Hermione, however unwillingly, enjoyed it. It felt better than anything she had ever done before. His lips were so soft.

She snapped back to the normal Hermione, horrified, and pulled away. Malfoy just stood there staring at her. After what seemed like forever, Hermione pushed past him and went through the door to her room, slamming it behind her.

"Ew, ew, ew, gross, Malfoy, ew, I can't believe I just did that, ew, ew, ew," Hermione said as she brushed off her mouth. "I...feel...so...vile!" She pulled on her clothes, wishing the memory could be blasted from her brain forever.

After she had her robes on, she grabbed her bookbag, swung it over her shoulder, and rushed out through the tapestry, knocking somebody over on her way down the hallway.

"Ow!" said the tall, redheaded boy. "Oh, hey Hermione!"

"Oh, sorry, Ron!" said Hermione, picking up her bag.

"What were you doing in such a hurry?" he asked her as they continued towards the Great Hall.

"Oh, you know, I just wanted to get away from that stupid ferret."

"Oh, gotcha."

"What are you doing without Harry?"

"Looking for you."

"Without Harry?"

"Uh...yes?"

"Right." Awkward silence. "Why?"

"No reason...I just haven't seen you in a while."

"Oh, cool." They entered the Great Hall and found Harry sitting across from Dean and Seamus. Ron planted himself next to Harry, and Hermione sat on Harry's other side. Harry and Ron immediately began whispering about something; Ron shook his head, and Harry turned to Hermione with a grin on his face.

"What's new with you?" he asked her.

"Not much," she said. "What's up with you two being so secretive lately?"

"Lately?" asked Ron incredulously. "What do you mean, lately?"

"I mean recently, duh."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "We've only been here two days."

"Yeah, well, you've been all sketchy, weird, hide-things-from-Hermione."

"Ok, well...we didn't notice that. We'll stop," said Harry as he took a bite of his toast.

Hermione sighed. There was definitely something they were keeping from her. And that wasn't right. Best friends shared secrets, right?


	6. Letters

**Chapter 6**

_Hermione was running across the grounds of Hogwarts. A great, big, fanged snake was chasing her. She came to Hagrid's hut and banged on the door. Nobody was home. She ran as far as she could into the Forbidden Forest, not stopping to see if the snake was still behind her. Suddenly, she stopped, as if she couldn't help it. She was in a clearing with glittering lanterns surrounding it on the ground. She looked around, taking it in, and suddenly she felt a trap door give way beneath her. She was in a small cave with the snake. It lunged for her..._

She sat straight up in bed without even opening her eyes. She checked her body and realized it was just a dream, and she laid back down. Try as she may, she could not get back to sleep, even though it was four o'clock in the morning, so she put on her robe and went out into the common room.

In the two weeks they had been at Hogwarts, Hermione had barely made a dent in the library in the common room. She had finished three entire shelves, but there were rows and rows of books that seemed to go on forever. She was in paradise. Tonight, however, she felt compelled to try out a whole new section. She had been learning about Transfiguration, but she wandered towards the back of the rows. She lit her wand and ran her finger along the row of books. A thin gold book with no title stood out. She slid it off the shelf and brought it back over to the couches surrounding the fireplace. To keep the dying flames alive, she prodded the logs with her wand, and sat down on a couch.

She opened the book. There were no words; no pictures. Hermione sighed and laid out on the couch, staring into the flames. It was so warm in that room, and so comfortable...

"Granger, get up!" came a sharp voice.

Hermione rolled over, shoving her face into the couch cushions. "Go away, Malfoy." It was so warm in that room.

"Granger, you idiot, it's time for breakfast."

Hermione's eyes snapped open. "Fine." She heard Malfoy's footsteps fade into the distance. As soon as he was gone through the tapestry, Hermione heaved herself off the couch. She realized she was still holding the gold book, and decided to take it up to her room and keep it there. She quickly put her hair into a ponytail, changed into her robes, and hurried down the stairs. She bolted down her breakfast and nearly ran to potions. Completely out of breath, she reached her seat and sat down next to Malfoy a full two minutes after the bell rang.

"It's about damn time," he said, pushing a plate of ginger roots towards her. "Slice these."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I don't see you doing anything."

Malfoy pushed a bowl of powder towards her. "I already did it because I was on time."

Hermione sighed angrily and pulled the roots in front of her. She sliced them as thin as possible and pushed them back towards Malfoy, who added the slices one at a time to their cauldron. Hermione turned away and found herself looking at Harry and Ron, who were whispering excitedly to each other. She ignored this determinedly. Her best friends had something going on, but she had decided not to care. Not that she didn't want to know anyways.

The rest of potions went without incident for Hermione, as did the rest of the day. By dinnertime, Hermione had finished all of her homework for the night. She changed into comfortable clothes and dragged herself down to the Great Hall for dinner.

She sat next to Harry, since Ron wasn't there yet, and began piling mashed potatoes on her plate. Harry looked at her concernedly. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

Hermione yawned, plopping the last spoonful of food on her plate. "Nothing, I'm just tired." Harry seemed to take this as a valid answer and continued eating his treacle.

Just as Hermione dug into her first bite, Ron came and plopped himself down next to her. "Heya, 'Mione!"

Hermione swallowed lethargically. "Evening, Ron."

"What's wrong?" asked Ron, just as Harry had done.

Hermione shoveled another bite of food into her mouth. Harry leaned behind her. "She's tired."

"Oh, sorry, Hermione," said Ron. "Maybe you should go to sleep early tonight."

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, maybe." The truth was that she wasn't tired, and she sure wasn't listening to anything Harry or Ron had to say. She was focusing on the platinum blonde head across the room from her. He was sitting at the Slytherin table, with Pansy Parkinson clinging onto his arm like a toddler trying to get its mother's attention. Hermione's vision slid out of focus. She blinked to fix it, and found Draco Malfoy looking back at her. She quickly looked back at her now unappetizing plate of food and pushed it away.

"Hey, I'm going to go to bed," said Hermione. "I'm way tired."

"G'night," said Ron and Harry.

Hermione flipped her legs over the bench and walked back out the door to the Entrance Hall. She took a deep breath. She wasn't tired at all, but she began walking back to her common room anyways. When she was halfway up the stairs, Professor McGonagall stopped her.

"Are you quite alright, Miss Granger? You look sick."

"Oh, I'm fine," said Hermione. "Just a little bit tired."

"In that case, make sure you get enough sleep. There's a big Transfigurations test tomorrow."

Hermione forced a smile. "I will." She began to climb the rest of the stairs.

"Oh, wait!" said McGonagall. "I was just heading downstairs to inform you and Mister Malfoy that the Halloween feast is coming up and you need to be prepared with decorations."

"Alright, thank you, Professor."

"And you can use your special Hogsmeade privileges to visit it anytime to gather anything necessary."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Good night, Miss Granger."

"Good night, Professor." Hermione shuffled up the rest of the stairs. "Phoenix tears." The tapestry swept aside and Hermione stepped through. She rubbed her eyes and decided that there was nothing for her to do. She ran up the stairs to her room and sat down on her bed. Her eyes landed on a crisp white sitting on her desk.

"Wonder who that's from," she said to herself, hopping off the bed. On the front of the envelope was a note. "'Your friend left this with us so we could send it to you. Please write us more often, we miss you. Mum and Dad.' Aww, I miss them too!" Hermione ripped open the envelope to reveal a sheet of pink paper. "Kelly," she muttered.

_HERMIONE!!_

_I'm so sad you're off at boarding school. I have so much to tell you, but you're not here. So I wrote this out and gave it to your parents, hoping they'd give it to you, and if they have, then you're reading it. And if this is Mrs. or Mr. Granger, please disregard anything this letter says to your dearest Hermione that you find offensive in any way._

_Ok, so I brought before and after pictures of you to school with me, since I can't help but show off my work. I'm sorry. I'm just too awesome! Just kidding. _(Hermione laughed) _Anyways, there's this total hottie that I'd do if I didn't have a boyfriend (just kidding...but not). And he asked if I could hook you guys up! So I told him I'd write to you and ask, and that I suspected you'd be home for Christmas vacation...or at least part of it anyway. What do you think?_

_And remember how I mentioned my boyfriend? Well, he's just so awesome. Not that you care. But everything has to end eventually, so do you want to return my favor and find someone to hook me up with at your school? Just kidding. A little. Not kidding if he's hot._

_Anyways, I love you, Herms, and you need to write me back asap! Because I miss you ever-so-much! Mwah!_

_Kell-ay, Kellzums, Kells, Kelly._

Hermione grinned. She missed her energetic friend. She reread the second paragraph, raising an eyebrow, and then she pulled a green pen and sheet of notebook paper out of her desk drawer. Thank goodness for remembering to bring muggle office items.

_KELLY!!_

_You are the greatest. This has been the weirdest week and I've totally needed you really bad. But you aren't here because I'm stuck at boarding school. Mum and Dad, if you're reading this right now, kindly keep your noses out of your daughter's business. You'll have your own letter._

_Anyways, there's lots of drama at my co-ed boarding school. Drama galore. So I'm Head Girl, which means I share a common room and bathroom Head Boy. Who just so happens to be a complete and total asshole. Who keeps on staring at me like he's going to kill me. And then, Harry (I told you about Harry this summer...I've known him forever) asked me out and I'm so excited! So you can claim that hottie for your own pleasure._

_And my new goal in life between homework and classes and hot dates with Harry (wink) is to find you a hottie here. There aren't too many. You'd never survive here._

_Anyways, I wrote back asap, and I'll try to get my parents to give this to you. I miss you so very much!_

Hermione 

Hermione folded up the letter and sealed it, sighing in an accomplished sort of way. She scribbled a short note to her parents, folded up that letter, sealed it, and put it on her desk so she could remember to send it the next morning. Suddenly, she felt very tired.

As soon as she pulled the sheets over her head, her eyes drooped closed and she drifted off into a restless sleep.


	7. Making Peace

Chapter 7 

The next few weeks passed by relatively quickly, one class rapidly becoming another. Had Hermione been any other student, she would have been swamped with head duties on top of the school work, but she had no problem at all. Harry and Ron had become considerably less sketchy (at least around her), and Hermione had not interacted with Draco Malfoy at all, apart from patrolling the corridors and on other such professional terms.

On a sunny, but surprisingly cold October afternoon, Hermione found herself hanging out with Harry and Ron in the Gryffindor common room. It was Friday; the next day was the Hogsmeade trip.

"Check," said Harry as his bishop moved diagonal to Ron's king.

Ron bit his lip, thinking. "Queen to E-8." The piece slid across the board. "Checkmate."

Harry frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. "You always win. It's not fair."

"If it's not fair, then why do you always play with me?" Ron asked.

"Woah, boys," Hermione said. "Too much info."

After Ron registered what Hermione had said, he raised his eyebrow. "Not my fault. Harry's the one who's playing with me." He nudged Hermione suggestively.

"I do nothing of the sort!" he exclaimed.

Hermione examined her fingernails. "Hm? Oh, _right_, Harry."

"Screw you," he said.

Ron put his hands up. "I'm not stopping you guys."

"Hey, Harry, Hermione!" said a voice from behind them. Hermione turned around.

"Oh, hey Ginny, what's going on?" said Hermione.

"Not much," she said. Her eyes landed on Ron's increasingly red ears. "Well, just thought I'd say hi. See you around!"

Ron looked as though he was going to explode as Ginny pranced off to another part of the common room. "What's that all about?" she asked Ron.

Ron didn't respond. "He's all mad cause she gets more play than he does," Harry informed her.

"She's my _little sister_," he said.

"Yes, well, you're no prize yourself," Harry joked as he received a punch in the arm.

"Wait, who's Ginny been getting play from?"

Ron's ears seemed as though they were on fire. "Everyone," he said through clenched teeth.

Hermione turned to Harry for an answer. "Well, there was," he held up his hand, "Seamus, Dean, Ernie's friend, this weird Ravenclaw guy, some really tall fifth year, Michael Corner again, and some other blokes," he said as he ticked each person off on a finger.

Hermione's mouth hung open. "Within the last two years?" she asked.

"Try two weeks," replied Ron dryly. Hermione's jaw fell open again.

"Ginny's..." began Hermione.

"...A whore," Ron finished.

"Well, I wouldn't say that," said Harry. Hermione nudged him with her elbow, causing him to shut his mouth.

Ron was virtually silent for the rest of the evening.

The next morning, Hermione woke bright and early. After checking the clock and finding it was only eight o'clock, she pulled on a bathing suit and decided to take the sauna for a test run. She went into the bathroom and stepped into the room with the wooden benches. Hermione poured some cool water onto the hot coals and relaxed on a bench.

Suddenly, she became aware of a face looking through the glass in the door at her. She turned her head to see who it was and saw none other than Draco Malfoy there. Hermione rolled her eyes and flipped over to face the wall, ignoring him.

She heard the creak of a door opening and closing and felt him plop himself down on the bench near her head. After a few minutes of silence, she could bear it no more and sat up.

"Yes?" she asked impatiently.

"Yes what?" he replied.

"Would you like something?"

"To enjoy a nice relaxing half hour in the sauna."

"Well, you're obviously here for some other reason."

"Well, what if I am?"

"Then out with it!"

Draco ignored this, turning to face the other wall. Hermione's gaze slid down from his head to the top of the towel wrapped around his waist. Just as she found herself being transfixed by his spectacular body, he turned back to face her. Hermione quickly averted her gaze and poured more water on the coals in the middle of the room.

"Am I really that big of a douche?" he asked, staring at the steam coiling up from the coals.

Hermione was taken aback. "What kind of question is that?"

"A non-rhetorical question. I want a truthful answer."

Hermione bit her lip. "Well, yes."

Malfoy seemed nonplussed. "How so?"

"Well...you're a douche. That about sums it up."

"I want details, woman!"

"I want to know why."

"Well, I might possibly want to change my asshole-ness."

"But why? You've been doing so great with it so far."

"Ha. You're clever, Granger."

"Oh but not as clever as you, Malfoy," she replied sarcastically.

Malfoy turned to face her on the bench, leaning against the corner as he put his legs up on the bench. "I really want to know, though. Never mind the reason."

Hermione sighed. "You won't hurt me?"

"Am I really that bad?"

"I don't know."

"No, I won't hurt you. Or hold it against you or whatever. I just want a straight answer."

"Why now?"

"Stop asking why! Just answer."

"Fine. You've always been mean to me and my friends and you take pleasure in torturing me. And you call me a mudblood. That about sums it up."

"So nothing in particular?"

"Nope, you're just an all-around prick."

"Thanks."

"No prob. Now will you tell me why you wanted to know?"

"I don't know. I just felt like asking. And breaking the ice between us."

"Right."

"No, really." He crossed his right leg over his left and folded his muscular arms over his chest. Hermione poured more water on. "I figure if we have to live together, we might as well try to get along."

"Wow, that's the first time you've ever made any sense," she said, trying not to look at his muscles.

"Yeah, too bad you never have," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know."

"Right. No really, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

Hermione cocked her head to one side. "That didn't mean nothing. I can tell when people are lying. And you, sir, are lying. Now you tell me what's on your mind this instant...or else."

Malfoy laughed. "Ok, mommy. I told you, it's nothing."

"It is not nothing."

"Fine. I suck at keeping secrets anyways. You don't make any sense."

"Like when? You already said that."

"Like when you came on to me in the bathroom a few weeks ago. What was that all about?"

"It was all about me getting out of there so you wouldn't rape me," she said matter-of-factly.

"I don't rape people. I don't have to, I have a whole line of girls waiting for me."

"Sure. Anyways, you were definitely coming on to me before I kissed you," she replied.

"I was doing no such thing. You want me, don't you? You want this hot, sexy bod."

Hermione nearly fell off the bench from laughing so hard. When the laughter subsided, she found Malfoy's face right above hers, with a very strange expression on it indeed.

"You're really hot when you laugh," he said. And before she could react, his lips were pressed against hers.

Hermione felt the tingling feeling she had felt only when she had kissed Draco before. His lips were pressed gently against her mouth. She closed her eyes, taking in everything she could. It was so wonderful in so many different ways. She was stretched out on the bench, and Malfoy's face was upside down to her.

After what seemed like only one second, Malfoy pulled away and looked at Hermione questioningly. When he realized she was in somewhat of a blissful stupor, he leaned down and kissed her again, this time more passionately. He gently nipped at her lip, hoping for her to open up to him, and she complied. Hermione's hands rose from her sides to his chest. She felt his soft muscles as they strained to support his weight over top of her. Her arms reached around his torso to his back, and she ran her hands up and down his back.

They finally broke apart and stared at each other in disbelief. Both of them were covered in sweat from the steam. Malfoy snapped out of it and sat straight up. Hermione stayed still. Neither one said a single word as Draco poured more water on the coals. Hermione began nervously readjusting the side ties on her bathing suit.

Hermione broke the silence. "Oh, so _I'm_ the one who doesn't make any sense?"

"Point taken."

"So what was that all about?" She began pulling up her top a little bit.

"Uh...hormones, I guess?"

"Don't hormones usually kick in when you think the other person is attractive?" Hermione asked as she sat up, facing away from Malfoy.

"Uh, duh, yeah."

"So is this the exception?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not hot..."

"Are you fucking insane?"

"Apparently."

"Yeah. You are hot, as much as it pains me to say that, Granger."

"Now you're the insane one."

"No, really. I really truly hate saying this, but...you've grown up real nice."

Hermione turned around and looked at him. "Really?"

"Hell yeah. I can't believe you didn't know this!"

"Well I don't really care that much about it."

"Hmm."

"Hmm?"

"Yes, hmm."

Hermione's head was spinning. She had a date with Harry in less than two hours! And she just made out with their arch-enemy. What on earth was wrong with her?

Hermione got up to leave.

"Not going to say goodbye?"

"Well, it's just a little bit awkward."

"Indeed. Point taken."

"I'll see you later."

Hermione hurried out of the sauna and back through the door to her room. She mindlessly pulled on a sweater and knee-length skirt, thinking about the conversation she had just had. Why had Malfoy just decided to make peace with her? Had he just told her that she was pretty cause he wanted some? And why had she just gone farther with Malfoy than she had ever gone in her entire life?

She shook her head, clearing it of all of her thoughts, and pulled on her Mary-Janes. After checking her watch, she saw that she had an hour before she had agreed to meet Harry. She checked herself in the mirror and left her dormitory.

Halfway up the hallway to Gryffindor tower, Hermione changed her mind and doubled back, heading out the doors of the Entrance Hall. A chilly breeze nipped past her, and she pulled her hands into her sweater sleeves. She kicked a rock on the ground and walked aimlessly around the grounds. After fifteen minutes, she found herself at the shore of the lake.

Abandoning all common sense, she kicked off her shoes and stepped into the frigid lake, letting the water lap at her ankles. Keeping her feet barely in the water, she leaned backwards and sat on the sandy bank, putting her head in her hands.

_What is up with me?_ she asked herself. _I mean...I'm dating Harry. And I really like him a lot. But Malfoy just has this appeal. What is it? Why do I like him? I don't like him. He's such an asshole! And what am I going to do?_

Hermione nearly fell asleep sitting at the edge of the lake like this. Her thoughts blurred into each other.

A loud bird chirp from the Forbidden Forest snapped Hermione back to reality. She checked the time.

"Oh crud...I'm going to be late!" Hermione jumped up in her spot, put her shoes back on, and raced up to the castle. She entered the Entrance Hall and began to thaw out. Speeding through the halls, she hoped that Harry wouldn't notice her tardiness.

Right outside of the Gryffindor portrait, Hermione stopped to catch her breath. Right as she opened her mouth to say the password, the portrait swung open to reveal Harry crawling through the hole.

"Hey, Harry," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around him.

Harry hugged back. "Hi, Hermione. I was just coming to see if you were ready."

Hermione smiled. "I just got lost in my thoughts." Harry grinned. "So...should we go, then?" she asked.

Harry slid his arm around her waist. "Of course."

Hermione chatted nervously with Harry as they walked across the grounds towards Hogsmeade. When they reached the main lane of the village, Hermione sighed contentedly. Harry was being such a good date.

"So, where are we going to go?" Hermione said, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder. A breeze started, picking her skirt up gently with it. She shivered involuntarily, and Harry pulled her in way close.

"Oh, well...let's just be classic. I was thinking we could go to the Three Broomsticks," Harry said, looking down at her.

"Alright." They walked into the pub and took a seat in a small corner booth.

Hermione searched for a topic. "So hey, is Ron coming with anyone?"

Harry laughed. "Yeah, I said he could meet us here at one. Remember, he's coming with Lavender."

"Oh cool, i haven't talked to her for a while," said Hermione

"Me either," said Harry as his hand found hers under the table.

Madam Rosmerta came and got their orders, and Hermione searched for a conversation starter.

"Why would Lavender go with Ron?" Hermione caught herself right as Harry burst out laughing. "I mean, not that Ron's not dateable, but the ladies aren't exactly all over him, and for a good reason."

Their drinks came, and Harry stopped laughing. "You have a good point," he told her. "They aren't all over him like they are on me," said Harry, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Hey, you're better off than me," said Hermione, taking a sip of her drink. "Nobody in their right mind would date me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Ok, two things wrong with that statement. One, are you saying I'm not in my right mind? And two, are you crazy? You should hear the way that Dean and Seamus talk about you at night."

Part of Hermione's mind told her not to ask, but her curiosity got the better of her. "What do they say?"

"Well, when they know I'm listening, it's like 'Hey, Seamus, who are the hottest girls at school?' 'Well, number one on my list is Hermione' 'Oh man, she's so fucking hot this year!'"

Hermione laughed. "And what if they don't think you're listening?"

Harry closed his eyes. "'OH, Hermione! Hermione! No, don't stop!!'"

Hermione's jaw dropped. She hit Harry gently on the shoulder. "That's disgusting!"

"Hey, you wanted to know."

"Harry! Hermione!" they heard a voice call from the entrance to the pub. Hermione looked in that direction and saw Draco Malfoy sitting close to the door with Pansy Parkinson and some other Slytherin girls. He was staring at Hermione, but quickly averted his gaze when he realized she saw him. Hermione's first inclination was to let go of Harry's hand, but she held on as though her life depended on it. Her eyes continued moving, and she saw Ron standing at the doorway with a made-up Lavender.

Harry waved Ron and his date over to their booth and scooted to make room for them. Hermione was up against the side of the booth, and with both couples sitting, it was snug.

"Hey, guys, how are you?" said Ron.

"Fine, you?" replied Hermione.

"Good."

"Cool. It's good to see you again, Lavender," she said as the boys turned to Quidditch talk. The four of them chatted.

Hermione's hip was uncomfortably digging into the wall of the booth, and she told Harry so, hoping he'd move over a bit. Harry simply grabbed her legs and swung them up onto his lap. However, she was much more comfortable after this, and she sipped her butterbeer as she reclined on Harry's lap.

After several minutes of light conversation, Hermione noticed that Ron and Lavender had become rather silent, but fairly close. Ron's hand was on his date's thigh, and he was leaning in towards her. Harry noticed this too, and remained silent. When a few seconds of awkward silence had passed, Hermione decided to break it.

As soon as she had opened her mouth, Harry was on her. His right hand was on her leg, and his left was holding her waist up towards him. It was comfortable, and they kissed for a few seconds before letting go. Hermione wasn't surprised. Harry closed his eyes and leaned in again and Hermione lost herself in the kiss.

Their lips met for a second time, and Hermione shut her eyes. Harry's lips were soft. His kisses were nice. They opened their mouths and their tongues twirled around. _Harry tastes so good_, she thought. _There are just so many things wrong with this._

Hermione pulled back, surprising Harry. She looked deep into his eyes, and found him giving her a confused look.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, kissing him gently on the cheek. Finding no other way out of the booth, she slid under the table and walked quickly out of the restaurant, feeling Harry's eyes on her back as she went.

Out on the lane, she looked left and right before running up to the Shrieking Shack. She stopped at the fence and climbed on, sitting facing away from the lane. What was up with her?

She stared at the shack long and hard, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. It wasn't Harry, he was a perfectly good date. She had fun. Maybe she was a little bit uncomfortable, kissing her best friend and everything. But there was something else...

"Draco," she said quietly into the wind.

"How'd you know I was here?" said a voice from behind her. She jumped and nearly fell off the fence. The person that said it climbed onto the fence and sat next to her.

"Why'd you follow me?" she asked Draco Malfoy.

"Because I saw you were upset. And that made me uneasy."

Hermione remained shocked. "Alright, really, how'd you know I was here?" said Malfoy.

She took a deep breath. "I didn't."

"So what'd you say?"

"I said Draco."

"Why?"

"Because I'm confused."

"Why the first name business?"

Hermione swung her leg, watching her skirt flutter in the breeze. "I don't know."

"Why are you confused?"

"Because...I don't know. I'm confused."

"Do you want me to go away?" Draco prepared to climb down.

"No. Keep asking me questions. I need to figure this out before I end up screwed."

The Slytherin raised his eyebrows. "Ok. Seriously, think about this...why'd you say my name?"

Hermione sighed and looked back down the empty lane. "Well...did you see me in the Three Broomsticks?"

Draco laughed nervously. "You saw me see you..."

"Right. Well, you know how I was with Harry?"

"Yeah."

"And you know how he kissed me?"

"I'd say more that kissed..."

"Yeah."

"Yeah. So why'd you say my name?"

"Oh. I was getting there. So it was nice—"

"I bet it was," Draco snorted.

"Right, let's leave your feelings—or lack thereof—for Harry out of this. It's my problem."

"Sorry. Keep going."

Hermione checked the lane again. "Well, I was kissing him or making out with him or whatever you want to say, and it just didn't feel right."

"Mm hmm."

"And so I had to leave—you saw that—and I came here."

"You said my name," stated Malfoy. "My first name."

"Yeah."

"But why?"

"Because I was trying to figure out what's wrong."

"I'm your problem?"

"No...I don't know. I'm still confused."

"How am I your problem?"

"You're not. I was trying to find out what made me stop. And it wasn't Harry's fault. And—I dunno—I thought of what happened this morning..."

"In the sauna?"

"Yeah. And so I thought that maybe it was that Harry couldn't compare to you."

"What?"

"Well, I don't know. Have you ever kissed somebody and thought that everything was going to be perfectly fine, even if it was only for a moment?" Hermione kicked off her shoes and looked Draco in the eyes.

Draco sighed. "Yes."

Hermione bit her lip. "Well, I didn't feel it with Harry..."

"Did you feel it with me?"

Hermione watched a leaf fall from a tree and turned around, checking the lane again. There were two people that she could see. "Yes."

Draco wrapped his arm around her. "Come with me."

He led Hermione past the Shrieking Shack and into the woods behind it. There was a clearing covered with leaves. "Now you can stop worrying about people seeing."

"Thanks."

"So wait, are you messing with me at all?"

"I wish I was."

"I don't." Draco leaned down and kissed her softly.

Hermione tried to smile, but she couldn't. Instead, she sat down in the leaves, crossing her legs. Draco followed suit.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know. I don't know what's going on."

"Me either. But I think that we can't just pretend it's not happening."

"Yeah. But I feel awful. I just had a date with Harry. And now I think I'm falling in love with his enemy. All because his kiss didn't feel quite right."

"But you're following your heart, aren't you?"

"I sure hope so..." she said.


	8. Making More Than Peace

Chapter 8 

"_But you're following your heart, aren't you?"_

"_I sure hope so..." she said._

Draco and Hermione heard a group of girls talking. They couldn't see them, but they were headed towards the couple.

"Goddamn Pansy," said Draco.

Hermione hopped up. "Come on, Draco, let's go," she said, grabbing his hand.

The two quickly crunched through the trees, heading back towards the village. They reached the edge of the forest.

"You go first," he told her. "It'd look weird if we were seen together."

"I'll see you when you get back to the room," Hermione said. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

Hermione headed down the lane, hoping not to run into Harry. She left the village and went back to the castle, finding the grounds virtually empty. There were two second years sitting under a tree, and a young Hufflepuff hurrying away from the greenhouses, but other than that, Hermione was alone. She wanted to sit down, but thought better of it when a cold blast of wind ran across her bare legs.

When she was back in the castle, she stopped and asked the house elves in the kitchen if they could bring her some hot chocolate before going up to her room. She changed into a pair of pajama pants and a tight, green t-shirt. A house elf appeared at her side as she searched for a sweater. He reached up to hand her hot cocoa to her, and she thanked him, and he disappeared.

A swishing noise from the common room told her Draco was back, so she went out. His cheeks were pink from the cold, and his hair was windswept.

"You changed into pajamas?" he asked. She nodded. "Hold up."

He disappeared into his room and emerged a minute later sporting only a pair of loose gray sweatpants. It took every bit of self-control she had not to jump on him right there. His sweatpants were low, and muscles rippled when he moved. She took a sip of her hot cocoa and set it down on a table as she walked over to him.

"I really like your shirt," he told her. Hermione looked down and realized how low-cut it was. Thank you, Kelly.

"I love those pants on you. They go with your eyes."

"Thanks." He took her hand and they sat down on the sofa next to them.

"So what were we talking about earlier?" he asked.

"I just have to know...do you really like me or is it something else?"

Draco looked confused. "Like what?"

"Like do you have a bet on me...or do you just want to say you've slept with every single girl in school...or something?"

"I'm not like that! I'm so tired of people saying that! I might be a player I guess, but I haven't been in the sack a million times!"

"But you've had sex?"

"Yeah...I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yeah. Twice."

"Who?"

"This girl. You don't know her. She has a vacation home near mine. And I didn't really want to."

"Really?"

"If I could do it over, I wouldn't have done it. I was so frustrated and stressed out, and it just felt so good to do it at the time. I shouldn't have. So please don't think all I ever want to do is fuck girls."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok, it's a common misconception about me. And I'm glad now you know it's not true."

"Cool."

"So...yeah. I really do like you. No bets, no machoness."

Hermione laughed nervously. "Cool."

Draco's eyes darted around the room. "Yeah."

He leaned towards her, getting very close. "I think I'm falling in love with you," he whispered.

"I think I'm falling in love with you," she whispered back.

Draco kissed her for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. It still set her senses on fire. His lips were soft, and he tasted like peppermint. She kept her eyes closed, but she could still imagine him standing there in his pants, naked above the waist.

She pushed him away gently with her hand that was on her chest. "Do you really go to bed like that?" she asked.

"Actually, I sleep in the nude, but I didn't think you wanted to see that," he said, winking.

"Maybe I do..." Hermione said, raising her eyebrow. She slid her fingers under the loose waistband.

"Woah, I don't think it's very fair that you're going to leave me in my boxers, and you still have all of your clothes on."

Hermione grinned mischievously. Draco took the hint and removed her hand from his pants, and gently slid his hands down her hips, pulling her pants down. She was wearing light green boy shorts.

"Hey, why'd you change this year?" he asked her. "You never would've worn this stuff before..."

Hermione smiled. "My friend was tired of me being pretty but not taking advantage of it. So she threw out all my old clothes and we bought new ones...and yeah."

"She did a good job," he told her right before they kissed again. Draco opened his mouth and Hermione followed suit, allowing him to explore her mouth. Her hands were planted on his chest and in his hair, and his hands roamed her body as they kissed passionately. Hermione allowed her better judgement to be pushed into the back of her mind and she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his pants again. He pulled away.

"Are you sure?" asked Draco.

"Ok, right...boundaries. I'll just say stop if I get uncomfortable. What about you?"

"Same here...but I'm pretty sure I won't get uncomfortable."

"Alright." She leaned in and tried to kiss him, but he turned his head down to her neck. He kissed her and gently nibbled the crook of her neck. Hermione allowed a small moan to escape her lips.

She started to pull at his sweatpants, and he stopped, allowing her to slowly pull them off, revealing green boxers.

"My turn," said Draco, running his hands up her sides as he pulled her shirt off. Hermione was wearing a bra that matched her green underwear. She laid back on the couch and he crawled on top of her. He slowly worked his way down from her neck, allowing her to feel his erection against her thigh. He was kissing his way down in between her breasts while holding her waist gently. When he slid a hand up to unhook her bra, she stopped him.

"I'm not ready yet," she said as Draco regarded her hungrily.

"That's ok. Whatever you're ok with is fine," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For understanding. And for...well, everything you did."

"I've never been thanked before..."

"Well people should thank you. It felt way good. Like nothing I have ever felt before. It took everything I had in me to make you stop."

Draco laughed. "Well, it took everything I had in me to stop. You're so beautiful...I wanted to keep going."

"Well now I feel bad. And I didn't get to do anything to you..."

"Have you ever done anything to anyone?"

Hermione pulled her bra strap up. "Not really."

"Oh wow. That makes me just want to strip you down right now."

"Draco!" she playfully slapped him.

"Hermione!" he mimicked.

"You said my name..."

"You bet I did. What, should I still call you mudblood?"

"No, Hermione's fine."

"Ok. So I'm Draco and you're Hermione now."

"Yep."

"So we were at the point where you were going to 'do something' to me."

"Oh, right," she said. "Forgive me if I suck at this. I've never done it before."

"Oh, I'll forgive you if you suck..." he said, smirking.

"Oh, that famous Malfoy smirk. You pervert."

"Thanks."

Hermione leaned forward onto Draco and pressed her lips up against his. He kissed back hungrily and she pulled away, placing her lips on his neck. She sucked gently and moved her way down to his shoulder, and she gently nibbled. Her fingers gently traced his six-pack, and Draco's erection grew next to her thigh. She continued kissing and sucking her way down his torso, letting her hands move along his sides. She reached his navel and he moaned, bucking his hips. Hermione stopped. "Sorry."

Draco sighed and sat up. "It's ok. But I hate how you just stop! I can't live like this forever, you know."

"What?" Hermione said, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"You know what."

"Oh, does wittle Drakie need some sex?"

"Wittle Drakie can live without if he has to."

"Is he sure?"

"As long as he stops referring to himself in the third person, then yes."

"Ok," Hermione giggled.

"So yeah. What are we going to do about...us?"

"Us? Is there an us?"

"If you want there to be an us."

Hermione grinned and kissed Draco on the nose.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"So should we keep it confidential?"

"Yeah. My dad would kill me. Literally."

"Ron and Harry would kill you. And lock me in a closet forever."

"Ok. So obviously we can't go public."

"And definitely no first names."

"And no telling Potter or Weasel, even if they _are _your friends."

"I wasn't going to. And you can't tell anyone, either."

"I'm not stupid."

"I know that." Hermione looked up at the clock on the wall. "Hey, it's dinner time."

"Do you really want to go?" asked Draco.

"Why not?"

"Because of what happened today?"

"Crap. I guess you're right. You can go."

"What, and have Pansy try to blow me right at the table?"

"I guess not. Let's go down to the kitchens and have the house elves bring something up."

"Ok." They got up, untangling their legs and Hermione took a step towards the door. "You know, Hermione, one this that _will_ attract attention to...this...is you walking out of this common room in your bra and panties."

Hermione blushed as she watched Draco pull his sweatpants back on. She walked back to the couch and grabbed her clothes, hastily pulling them on. Draco went into his room and emerged wearing a green sweater.

"Ok, if anyone asks why we're walking through the hallways together, it's Head business," Hermione said as she slid her bare feet across the floor. They walked out through the tapestry to find students coming back from Hogsmeade in large groups. One such group consisted of Pansy and her Draco-loving friends.

"Drakie! Oh what are you doing with that awful mudblood?" she said, running up and hugging him. He looked at Hermione, pleading for help with his eyes, and Hermione raised her eyebrow, remembering that they couldn't be friends in public. Or more than friends for that matter.

Draco pushed the simpering girl off of him. "Head business," was all he said, and they went down the stairs. Unfortunately, Harry was just at the bottom of the stairs talking to Ginny Weasley.

"Oh my god, Dr—Malfoy! Hide me," she said, trying to duck behind him.

Draco turned his head slightly and whispered, "I can't. He definitely saw you." Hermione looked around Malfoy's shoulder and found Harry looking up the stairs at her. Ginny was walking away.

"Hermione!" Harry called, waving her down. She breathed heavily and walked down the stairs to meet him. Draco found Blaise Zabini and talked to him at the top of the stairs while he waited.

"Hi Harry," she said.

"Hi Hermione," Harry said, looking at her as though he was searching for an answer.

"Do you need something? Cause I need to go get dinner from the kitchens."

"Good that I caught you then. Was there something wrong earlier?"

"I don't know. It just felt too weird. I think I like you better as a friend. And I hate saying that because it sounds so harsh."

Harry smiled sadly. "It's ok, Hermione. I understand. I really like you, but if that's what you want to do, then I'm fine with it."

"Thanks, Harry. Well, I have to go," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Bye, 'Mione."

Draco came down the stairs and walked behind Hermione until they got into a deserted hallway. Draco came up behind her and whispered, "What makes you like me?"

Hermione turned around. "Do all guys have to know?"

"Yes."

She sighed. "Fine. It's a lot of stuff. One thing is how you're nice to me now. And some other stuff. I feel really stupid. It's really just a feeling I get."

"Hmm."

"What about me? Why do you like me?"

"Well, honestly, I get that feeling, too. Nobody has ever made me feel so good before. And it definitely doesn't hurt that you're way hot," Draco said, pinning her in a corner. Hermione regarded him innocently. "And you're so pure and innocent."

"It's not just that you want to do me 'cause I'm a virgin?"

"I wouldn't care if you weren't."

"What if this is just all hormones?"

"Then we're screwed."

Hermione nodded. He let her free and they went to the kitchens, ordered their food, and went back up to their room. While they were waiting, they got comfortable on the couch that faced the fire. Draco sat on one end and Hermione stretched out, putting her head in his lap.

Draco twirled Hermione's hair around his finger. "How did you get it to be so sleek?" he asked her. "It was never like this before unless you count the Yule Ball in fourth year."

Hermione stared into the fireplace, watching the fire crackle. "I dunno...all of a sudden this year it started behaving after my friend fixed it over the summer."

"I never realized how beautiful you were before," remarked Draco. Hermione turned her head to look up into Draco's eyes.

"I didn't either," Hermione mentioned. The truth was she hadn't...not until Draco came along, at least.

A familiar house elf entered the room, along with another, and both were bearing trays with the heads' suppers on them.

"Thank you, Dobby," said Hermione as her food was placed on the table beside the couch. Dobby's mouth hung open in surprise as his eyes flickered from Draco to Hermione. Hermione realized how odd this scene must have seemed; Dobby's savior's friend lying happily in the lap of his ex-master. The two students that hated each other the most seeming to tolerate each other pleasantly.

Dobby and the other house elf bowed deeply before exiting the room quickly. Draco looked confused. "How do you know that elf's name?"

"Long story short, Harry knows him," replied Hermione as she dug into her food.

"Oh yeah, Potter freed him," Draco said through clenched teeth as he stabbed his fork into his turkey.

"Ok, Draco, you're gonna have to chill out about my friends a little."

"Yeah, well, it'll be hard. I've spent every minute of my life despising Potter for landing my father in Azkaban. No matter how much I hate my father, he's still family."

"Sorry," Hermione replied, unsure of what to say.

They ate their dinner in an awkward silence, and Hermione banished their plates back to the kitchens. After summoning a blanket from her room, she returned to her original position, lying on Draco. He stroked her hair absentmindedly.

"Do you think this is gonna work?" Draco asked Hermione.

"I don't know. But I'm going to try," she replied. Draco remained silent, and the couple's eyes drooped as the fire warmed them. Soon, they were both peacefully sleeping.

A/N: Ahh, I love you guys and your positive reviews! Keep them coming! And I always need input! I'll try to get another chapter up this weekend, too. Maybe even tonight...I can't sleep at all.


	9. Letter from Kelly

Chapter 9 

Something hit Hermione in the leg, and she rolled over. It was hard to breathe, and she opened her eyes to find a green wooly mass in front of her. She tilted her head up and saw Draco's eyes fluttering open. His arm was wrapped around her waist, and when he realized what he was holding, he pulled her tighter.

"'Morning," he muttered sleepily.

Hermione rubbed her eyes. "Good morning." She rolled over, gently releasing Draco's grip, and stood up. The clock on the wall told her that it was eight o'clock.

"I'm going to go take a shower," she said.

Draco rolled over. "Mm hmm."

Hermione padded over to her room, changed into a swimsuit, grabbed a bathrobe, and went into the bathroom. She set the robe on the floor and filled the tub before diving in. The hot water and bubbles woke her up, and she washed her hair. When she finished, she wrapped her robe around her and went back to the common room to check on Draco. He was still asleep.

Hermione sighed. "Wake up," she said, tapping him gently on the shoulder.

He rolled over, squinting at her. "I don't want to get up."

"Come on," she said, grabbing his arm and hauling him up off the couch. "You're heavy."

Draco rubbed his eyes and regained movement. He followed her to the bathroom sleepily, and she brought him to the side of the pool. As soon as she turned to leave, he requested that she stay, and she complied.

Draco stripped down while Hermione faced away. She heard a splash, and turned to see a wave of water heading towards her. It soaked her thoroughly, and Draco laughed.

"I'm awake now," he told her, smirking.

"Yeah, thanks," she said, wringing out her sopping robe.

"Well, you're wet again...you might as well get in," he told her, swimming over to the ledge.

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "What for?"

"Come on," he said as he grabbed her ankle, gently tugging her towards the pool.

"But you don't have any clothes on!"

"But I don't mind," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "You should try it."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, I'm fine."

Draco yanked her ankle, pulling her into the water. When she emerged sputtering at the surface, she found Draco relaxed, leaning on the ledge.

"What was that for?" she asked as she put her robe on the edge of the pool.

"I don't know. You need to loosen up this morning."

"Yeah, you're right," she said, cracking a smile.

"That's more like it." Draco slid underwater, where Hermione couldn't see him. She looked around at the opaque surface of bubbles, treading water.

Something brushed up against her, and Draco's head surfaced inches from Hermione's face. "You look nice in that suit," he told her.

Hermione looked down. "Oh, I got it this summer."

Draco inched closer smoothly. "No, I mean _really_ nice," he said as he moved one arm around Hermione's waist and he kissed her. Hermione closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Draco's naked torso, causing the pair to dunk underwater. They kissed again, and Hermione pulled away to gulp air from the surface. She swam to the wall as Draco advanced on her.

"Hey, you don't have any clothes on," Hermione told Draco.

"We've already been through this," Draco reminded her, "and I'm fine with it." He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up out of the pool.

She prepared to get up. "I have to go get dressed before-" Draco pushed his torso out of the water and leaned in, giving Hermione a long, deep kiss. Hermione ran her hand through his wet hair as she pulled away. "We need to get dressed," she said, getting up. Draco dropped back into the water.

Hermione walked back into her room and changed into a light pink sweater and a pair of jeans, and clipped her hair up into a messy bun. She went to the Great Hall for breakfast and found Harry and waiting for her.

Plopping herself down next to her friend, she realized that Harry seemed depressed. "Hey, Harry, what's wrong?" she asked. He looked across the table and answered her question. Ron and Lavender were rather busy with each other.

"I'm sorry. This is totally my fault," she said.

"No it isn't. It's not your fault that Ron and Lavender won't get off each other," he said, stressing the last sentence. Ron and Lavender stopped, realized how many people were staring at them, and began to eat.

Hermione suppressed a giggle as Harry rolled his eyes. "How're you two?" she asked Ron and Lavender.

Lavender smoothed her hair back down. "We're just peachy. How about you two?" she said.

"I'm ok," Harry replied, smiling weakly.

"Yeah, me too," said Hermione, trying to make the point that they weren't together.

"Wait, aren't you two-" Lavender began, but quickly stopped when Hermione kicked her in the leg.

"Don't you guys have Quidditch practice?" Hermione said, giving Harry a meaningful look. Harry took the hint and left the Great Hall with Ron.

"What was that about?" asked Lavender.

"We aren't together."

"What?! What do you mean you aren't together? What went wrong?"

"Uh...you were in the Three Broomsticks, weren't you?"

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't paying attention to what was going on. So what happened?"

Ginny Weasley flipped her legs over the bench and sat next to Hermione. "Yeah, what happened? I need some juicy gossip," she said excitedly.

Hermione laughed. "Well, just wait a sec and you'll have some. What happened was when Harry kissed me, it didn't feel right," she explained to Lavender.

Ginny's eyes grew. "Woah, woah, when did Harry kiss you?"

"When we were at Hogsmeade."

"Woah, you went to Hogsmeade together?" Ginny said, her half-buttered toast lying forgotten on her plate.

"Yes, Ginny, and the sky is blue," said Lavender impatiently. "So it didn't feel right. Who's the other guy?"

Hermione was taken aback. Did Lavender know about her and Draco? "What do you mean, who's the other guy?"

"I mean it didn't feel right in comparison to who?" Lavender pressed. Hermione held her breath.

"It didn't feel right...in general," Hermione said as she watched Ginny slowly bite into her toast. "'Cause he's always been such a good friend."

Lavender regarded Hermione with a searching eye before popping her last bite of waffle into her mouth and pushing her plate away.

"Well, Hermione, me and Ginny are always here if you want to tell us anything. I've gotta go watch Ron practice now. Bye, girls," said Lavender as she left.

"Hey, whatever happened to her and Parvati?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Oh they had this big tiff about Ronald. So they're not talking anymore."

"Mm hmm. Oh, hey, Dean," Ginny said, turning to give the boy a kiss. Hermione sighed.

"I'll talk to you later, Gin," she said, getting up from the table. She walked back out to the Entrance Hall and up to her dormitory to begin on her homework.

Two hours later, she had finished everything she had been assigned, including the in-depth analysis of mer-people's existence. When she had put her last quill back into her bookbag, a tawny owl dropped a rolled-up piece of parchment at her feet. She opened it up and read the note.

_Miss Granger,_

_Your presence is requested in the headmaster's office at 1:30 this afternoon in order for you and Mister Malfoy to discuss the plans for this year's Halloween feast. Mister Malfoy has been informed of this meeting, and notes have been sent to all of the prefects as well. We expect to begin a new tradition this year, but you will be informed of this at the meeting. Please make sure that you arrive on time._

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

Hermione wondered to herself what the "new tradition" would be. Rolling the note back up, she grabbed her bag and put it in her room. She noticed a muggle-paper envelope sitting on her desk, picked it up, and slit it open. Inside were letters: one from her parents and one from Kelly. She read the one from her parents quickly, which told of the usual news about Aunt Flora and their latest patients. She picked up Kelly's letter and unfolded it excitedly.

_Oh Dearest Hermione,_

I have no idea how I live without your logical saneness. You'd better be home for Christmas break. Your parents said you might stay, but I know you love me and you'd never leave me here all alone with all these hot guys.

_Speaking of hot guys, who's this Harry character? He'd better be treating my Hermione right. And that boy that shares your bathroom, I'll beat him up for you. Unless he's hot. In which case I'll make him my slave. Just kidding._

_And I broke it off with my new boyfriend. Actually, he broke it off with me, but that's because he accidentally found me snogging his best friend at a café one day. Whoops. As I said, all things have to end eventually. But I still feel bad. Especially because I didn't mean to snog him. It just came over me...and he has a girlfriend now. And consequently, I'm sad._

_So would you mind making it snappy with the finding me a hottie thing? Thanks, dahling._

_Wow, I am shallow. Bad Kelly. But I'm way excited for Halloween to come! Oh yes, I have the most awesome costume ever. Wait, I'm being shallow again._

_I'm just going to shut up. But I miss you oh-so-much! Come home for Christmas and we'll go caroling!_

_Muah,_

_Kelly_

Hermione picked up a muggle pen and sheet of paper, chewing on the end of the pen before putting it to the paper and writing to her friend.

_Oh Dearest Kelly,_

_I have no idea how I live without your insane skewed thinking. I'm being very you lately, though. You'll see. And I will be home for Christmas break, all for you. And you can have those guys for your own. Wait, on second thought, you're being locked in a closet this winter. Bad Kelly._

_Well, a bit late on the Harry thing. I broke up with him cause I'm stupid and there's the now-not-asshole that I just so happen to share a bathroom with (wink). You know, the Head Boy. And he is hot, so suck it up._

_And finding a guy for you is getting increasingly harder, mostly because I have my own guy issues, and also because of the homework. Oh right, and then there was that period of time where you had a boyfriend. So really...you can have Harry if you want. He's been a bit down ever since I told him he was a better friend...yesterday. He'll be fine. I hope._

_And so will you! I know you, Kelly. By the time you get this letter, you'll have rebounded magically. Because you're just so snoggable, apparently._

_Oh Halloween here is going to be awesome! I have to go for a meeting about our Halloween party right now. With the Head Boy (wink). So I'm out of here. I miss you, but I'll be home for Christmas. You'd better write me back!_

Hermione 

As soon as the last word was written, Hermione sealed up the paper and left it on her desk so she could deal with it later. She had fifteen minutes until she had to be in Dumbledore's office. Since her destination was nearly completely across the castle from her dormitory, she quickly put away her things and headed off towards the headmaster's office.

Other than a run-in with Neville around the library, Hermione didn't see anyone on her way. She reached the gargoyle just in time and muttered the password. The gargoyle sprang to life, allowing Hermione to enter. She found Draco sitting in an armchair casually talking to Dumbledore, and she seated herself next to him in a similar armchair.

"Hermione," Draco said, acknowledging her existence.

"Draco," Hermione replied.

Dumbledore chuckled. "You two don't have to pretend around me. Yes, I've suspected your romance would occur. Although I'm sure you could expect that I would expect this."

Hermione and Draco looked at each other, mouths hanging open. Before either one of them could open their mouths to say something to the headmaster, all of the prefects arrived and seated themselves on the floor or in squishy chairs.

Dumbledore stood up and addressed the students. He informed them that they would be in charge of decorating for the Halloween Ball, which, for the first time since 1654, would be a masquerade ball. All students were to arrive in costume with masks, and the stores in Hogsmeade would be well-stocked for these clothing purchases. By the end of the meeting, every one of the prefects was looking forward to the upcoming ball.


	10. Hogsmeade

Chapter 10 

In the next week, the school was buzzing about the upcoming Halloween masquerade ball. Around every corner, there were people debating who to ask, what they would go as, and there was a rumor going around that Dumbledore had some spectacular music for it.

The Friday following the prefect meeting, the first and second years were accompanied to Hogsmeade by the teachers in order for them to acquire their costumes. That Saturday and Sunday were special Hogsmeade dates for the rest of the school. The heads and prefects were permitted to spend the night in the town because of the decorations they had to purchase, as well. Dumbledore had booked them adjoining suites, with five beds in each room.

By Saturday morning, Hermione had done her homework for the weekend (with Draco, of course), and she was all packed. After slipping downstairs to grab some breakfast from the kitchens for her and her roommate, she returned to the room to find all of the prefects with their overnight bags.

Hermione looked down at the measly plate of food she was carrying. "Sorry, I didn't know you all were going to be here," she said as the group, especially Ron, eyed her food hungrily.

Draco barged through the crowd, pulling out his wand. "For Merlin's sake, Granger. Aren't you the best witch in the year?" he said, waving his wand at the food, which multiplied on a table. He said an incantation, and ten chairs appeared around the table as he slipped Hermione the slyest of winks. Hermione forced a disapproving frown onto her face and took a seat at the end of the table near Ron and Lavender as everyone dug in.

The group ate quickly, and Draco magicked the table away. Everyone lifted their bag from the floor and followed him out the tapestry and into the hallway. Hermione ran, trying not to catch anyone's eye, and caught up to Draco.

"So, we haven't had much time alone this week," Draco said, out of anyone's hearing.

"And we won't have much time alone this weekend," Hermione said, pulling her bag up onto her shoulder. Draco pushed the doors open and marched out onto the sunlit grounds, shooting her a sad look. It was a cool day, and the breeze picked up Hermione's scarf, twirling it around her body. It was such a beautiful day...if only it weren't for the prefects behind them.

Ron jogged up beside Hermione. "Is Malfoy bothering you?" he asked, his hands clenched into fists.

Hermione still hadn't told any of her friends about her and Malfoy. Nobody knew. "No, Ron, I was just making sure we were still going to buy the streamers, since Flitwick can conjure them," she said, breaking away from Malfoy, who was quickly joined by Pansy and Blaise Zabini.

Lavender came up on Hermione's other side. "Hey, Hermione! Have you decided what you're going to be for the ball?" she asked energetically.

"I don't know, what about you?" Hermione asked. She wasn't particularly interested, since whenever anyone asked her about the ball, she thought of how Harry had asked Ginny. Of course, she didn't like Harry anymore, but she didn't like that he had gotten over her so fast. And Ginny...Hermione sensed she was becoming bad news.

Ron, Lavender, and Hermione chatted the rest of the way, and Hermione got the distinct impression that Ron and Lavender were over. Maybe that was because they didn't directly talk to each other the entire time.

Hermione checked the group into the Moonlight Inn once they reached the village of Hogsmeade, and they went to their rooms. The girls were in room 910, and the boys in 912. The rooms were enormous, with five queen-sized beds in each. There was a sitting area around the fireplace, and a door that connected the two rooms. The bathroom in the girls' room was nice, although it couldn't compare to Hermione's bathroom back at the school.

When everyone was settled in, the group went out to do their costume shopping. Lavender grabbed Hermione by the arm as soon as they were on the cobblestone lane, and directed her into a trendy store.

"Hold on, I hope they have what I need here," she said as she quickly shuffled through a rack. Hermione absentmindedly spun a rack of masquerade costumes as Lavender searched. "Here!" Lavender said, pulling out a red, sequined mini-dress. It was one of the shortest things Hermione had ever seen, but it was completely Lavender.

She went to pay for the tiny article of clothing, and Hermione sat outside to wait. Across the lane was another trendy shop, and inside, everything was arranged by color. Hermione was intrigued.

"Ok, cool!" said Lavender, now sporting a bag with her new dress. "I'm going to be a devil...I got a mask, too," she pulled out a matching red sequined mask. "Anywhere you wanna go?"

Hermione nodded, pointing across the street, and her friend grinned. "Oh, I love that place!" she said, dragging Hermione across the student-infested lane. She saw Ron down the street and caught his eye. He waved and pointed at a bag swinging from his arm, holding his thumbs up. Hermione smiled and followed Lavender into the store.

She looked at the racks, passing by the red; she didn't want to take Lavender's color. Orange and yellow looked awful on her, so she passed them by. She flipped through the green, pulling out a few costumes of interest, and the same with blue and purple. When she got past the black and white section, she found the most dazzling dress, and immediately put it on her pile.

A saleslady helped her into the dressing room, and she tried on her costumes one by one, saving the dazzling dress for last. As she pulled on the last dress, she realized that it was going to be the one she bought. She went out to model it for Lavender and the saleslady, and they were both amazed.

Hermione stood in a strapless silver dress. It clung to her in just the right places and had a row of sapphires at the top of the dress. She spun, and the skirt swished as she moved her legs. The saleslady handed her a silver mask with sapphires around the edge, and Hermione put it on. She adored it.

"I'll take it," she said proudly, returning to the dressing room to change back into her plaid skirt and green top. She was so excited to dance in the dress; if only she had a date.

Hermione returned to the inn that evening, rosy-cheeked and content. Lavender had ditched her for Anthony Goldstein, the Ravenclaw prefect, and Hermione had wandered around until she ran into Harry and Ron, discussing Quidditch as usual. She was happy joining them, because it seemed as if everything had returned to normal between the trio. Harry had gone back to the castle, and Ron and Hermione had had drinks for a while before going back to the inn for dinner.

After dinner, the students split up to do whatever they pleased, and Hermione, unable to find Lavender, went for a walk with Ron. They walked up the lane towards the Shrieking Shack, and Ron pulled Hermione into a dark back alley.

"Hey, Hermione, you know how you and Harry broke up?" Ron asked, advancing towards her.

Hermione felt odd. "Yeah."

Ron moved closer as Hermione backed up into a wall. "Was it because of me?"

Hermione tried to think about what Ron had said, but before she could reply, he was on her. He forced his tongue into her mouth and Hermione felt helpless to resist. She was trapped between Ron and the wall, and her thoughts ran together as though she had been drugged. Hermione opened her eyes as Ron slid a hand up her leg under her skirt, and she tried hard to resist. A large figure came to the opening of the alley.

"Weasel! Get off her!" a voice said. Hermione felt Ron being pulled off her and she watched Ron fight with the man that had saved her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and saw that the mystery man was Draco. Ron ran out of the alley in surrender and Draco walked over to help Hermione up.

Hermione felt like she had a bad hangover. "Draco," she said, hugging him. He pushed her away.

"What was that about?" he asked.

Hermione opened her mouth. What _was_ it all about? She had no idea, so she opened her mouth to try and explain anyways.

"Never mind, I don't want to know," he said, turning on his heel and walking away. Hermione ran after him, her shoes clicking on the street.

"Draco, wait!" she called after him.

He turned. "Fine. Just try and explain this."

Hermione sighed. This was going to be hard. "Ok, well, Ron and I went for a walk. And he led me into this alley, and then he asked me if I broke it off with Harry for him—which I did for you, really—and then he was...he was just on me! And my brain felt all messed up and I honestly couldn't stop him."

Draco held her shoulders and turned her so that the light from the street fell onto her face. "Do you swear you didn't want to?" he asked.

"I swear to Merlin. I'd never give up what I have," she said, unwavering.

Draco smirked. "No girl in the entire world would give up what you have," he said, pulling her onto the ground. Hermione glared disapprovingly, so he added, "And no guy would ever give up what I have. It's a sweet deal."

Hermione grinned. "Oh, that's right it is," she said, kissing him passionately.

Draco pulled away reluctantly. "Careful, Weasel might come back."

"Right," she said, shivering at the thought of what would have happened with her and Ron if Draco hadn't come along. Her Slytherin prince escorted her cordially back to her room, and Hermione greeted the other girls that were back before changing into warm pajamas. Pansy was presumably still out with Blaise, and Lavender was doing god­-knows-what with that Anthony fellow. Hannah Abbott and Padma Patil were talking about—what else?—boys, and a stack of girly magazines surrounded them.

"Hey, can I see some of those?" Hermione asked, pointing at the magazines.

"Yeah, sure," Hannah said, pushing a stack towards Hermione, who grabbed the one off the top. It looked as though it was a People-esque magazine with the most recent happenings in the lives of the wizarding world's most rich and famous. It was old; the date on the front was August 20th.

She flipped through it, looking at the various pictures and articles. There were two pages dedicated to the wild party that the Weird Sisters went to. Apparently they got incredibly smashed and ended up enlarging everything in sight until most of London was oversized. Hermione giggled at this prospect and flipped the page.

"England's hottest, youngest wizards," read the title. Hermione looked down the page, seeing many attractive wizards, all candid pictures of them at parties. Each man had a short paragraph about him next to his picture, explaining his claim to fame.

As she scanned the pages of the article quickly, an extremely attractive face caught her eye. From the moment she saw the blond hair, she knew exactly who it was. Intrigued, she read the blurb.

_Draco Malfoy, son of the wealthy Lucius Malfoy. He is pictured here at a mere 17 years old, partying at his manor with some friends after passing his apparation test. He is well known for playing the field, and when asked what he plans to do when he finishes school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he said, "Whatever floats my boat." Everyone loves a rebel._

Hermione laughed out loud at the article. Hannah and Padma leaned over, looking at the page.

"Oh, yeah, isn't that awesome? We go to school with him!" Hannah said.

"Isn't he so hot?" Padma said, gazing dreamily at the picture of the partying Draco. Hermione closed the magazine, not saying anything, trying hard not to laugh at the short biography of Draco.

At midnight that night, Lavender and Pansy returned, and all of the girls turned in. Hermione laid in her bed, not feeling remotely tired at all. Why had Ron done that to her? And why did Draco choose her over every other girl that swooned over him? And thank goodness Harry was over her.


	11. Telling Harry

Chapter 11 

Hannah Abbott woke Hermione the next morning, telling her that it was her turn in the shower. Hermione sleepily rolled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom. She undressed, took a shower, and walked back out of the bathroom in her towel, feeling refreshed. Hannah and Padma had left, Pansy was nowhere in sight, and Lavender was still asleep on her bed.

"Get up, lazy butt," Hermione said, pulling Lavender's sheets off of her. She rolled over and fell onto the floor with a thunk. Hermione tried not to laugh and helped Lavender up. As Lavender took a quick shower, Hermione changed into green corduroy pants, a crème-colored sweater, and black sneakers. Lavender came out of the bathroom, fully dressed, and Hermione brushed her hair out. With a flick of her wand, it was dry, and Hermione and Lavender left the room for breakfast.

Halfway down the hallway, Lavender stopped and turned around, running back to the room. "I left my bag!" she called over her shoulder. By the time the door to their room closed behind Lavender, the door to the boys' room opened. Draco stepped out from behind it.

Hermione looked up and down the hallway for signs of anyone before sauntering over to Draco. She knew that Lavender wouldn't find her purse anytime soon—it had been under the bed last time she saw it—and so she pressed her chest against Draco's, looking up into his eyes.

He cupped her chin with his hands and brought her face up to meet his. They passionately kissed for several minutes, trying to get out all of their pent-up lust. Draco's hands held Hermione's waist close to him, and Hermione's hands traveled over Draco's chest.

"OH MY GOD!" Draco and Hermione pulled apart, getting as far away from each other as possible. Lavender had dropped her bag on the floor and the contents were scattered everywhere. Her mouth was open in disbelief.

Draco rubbed his forehead hard. Hermione knew that there was no way out of this. "Look, Lav," began Hermione.

Lavender shook her head, as though she didn't believe what she had just witnessed. Hermione and Draco shot each other "we're screwed" looks.

"Seriously, Lavender, come on," Hermione said, grabbing her motionless friend by the arm. She motioned for Draco to follow them as she led them into the girls' room. She sat Lavender down on a bed.

"Oh my god," Lavender repeated. "That's Draco Malfoy! You're Hermione!"

"No, really?" Draco replied, unable to contain himself.

"Not the right time, Draco," Hermione said, nudging him in the ribs. Draco shut his mouth. "Ok, so I wish I could explain what was just happening..."

"What, you snogging the living daylights out of Malfoy?"

"I believe _I_ was snogging _her_..."

"I believe we were snogging _each other_," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Really, anyways. Lavender, you can't tell a soul. We'd be so screwed. Don't you dare tell anyone."

Lavender nodded, grinning. "Oh, my poor innocent Hermione is growing up."

"Shut up," Hermione said, grabbing her friend by the arm and hoisting her up.

"So are you guys going to the ball together?"

"Of course not, remember how I just told you that nobody can know?" Hermione said as they followed Draco back out of the room.

"Right. Well, that's just adorable. You two should go do your 'Head Business'. I'll catch up with you later," Lavender said, heading down the hallway in the opposite direction.

"We're screwed," Draco said.

"By dinner, the whole school will know. And most of Hogsmeade," Hermione said as the couple walked down the stairs and out onto the street. Each house was in charge of buying something, so Hermione and Draco found themselves with nothing to do. They walked down the street, cautiously staying far away from each other.

"You know, you're going to have to tell wonder boy before the news gets to him," Draco said, pushing his hair out of his face. Hermione watched her feet move beneath her. Of course she had always known that she would have to tell Harry about her and Draco. She had just wished that she could get away without it.

"Yeah. When we get back, you have to make me go tell him," she said, still interested in her shoes.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, you'll just get in a fight. Or Harry will try to kill you. Not good either way," she said. Draco nodded, understanding. "So anyways, did you get a costume yesterday?"

Draco smirked famously. "Of course. And it makes me look oh-so-hot."

"Of course it does, you're Draco Malfoy. You could make a frog costume look hot."

"Indeed. What about your costume? What's it look like?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Oh. I like mysterious women," Draco said, arching an eyebrow suggestively. Not that everything he did wasn't suggestive. They walked in silence a little more before Draco broke it. "Hey, you know how Lavender asked if we were going together?"

"Yeah, but we can't, if that's what you mean," Hermione said, looking at a crystal swan in a window.

"No, you're right," said Draco. "But will you save a dance for me? We'll be in masks so nobody will know."

Hermione looked up at him to find Draco smiling genuinely. _That's a first_, she thought. "Of course I will."

Something in a shop window behind him caught her eye. She rushed over to it and saw a necklace with a silver chain and one enormous ruby hanging from it. "It's beautiful," she sighed.

Draco looked over her shoulder to see the gem. "Not as beautiful as you," he said.

Hermione turned and giggled. "That was so cheesy," she said.

"But true," Draco replied.

Hermione heard bell chimes coming from a store. "Oh, it's already noon! We have to go back to the castle."

Hermione dropped her bags off in her room and told Draco she'd meet him after dinner. Straightening her sweater and fixing her hair, she headed off to Gryffindor tower to talk to Harry. She said the password to the portrait and entered the common room.

"Hey, Hermione!" said Harry. Ron slid behind a chair, trying to remain unseen. Hermione did him a favor and ignored him.

"Hey, Harry, can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Sure, where?" Harry said, getting up.

"I dunno...outside?" Hermione walked back out through the portrait hole and Harry followed her. There were at least 10 students in the hallway.

"Do you want to go to the Room of Requirement?" he asked. Hermione nodded and followed Harry down to the room before walking back and forth in front of it and concentrating hard on what she needed. The door appeared and they walked into a large room with a sofa, a bookshelf full of old books, and a table with many breakable objects. Hermione winced. _Probably for Harry to throw when he gets mad._

"First, before you tell me anything, what's up with you and Ron?" asked Harry, as soon as they walked into the room.

Hermione proceeded to give him a quick recap of the previous evening, leaving Draco out of the picture.

"Oh, so that's why he tried to hide from you today," he said.

"Right. So, anyways, I had to tell you something..."

"Wait," Harry said, gripping her shoulder gently. "This isn't about me and Ginny, is it?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I actually think that's awesome for you guys. And I think you guys are great."

"Ok," Harry sighed, relieved. "So what is it about?"

"Well, I don't know how to say this. Promise me you won't take out your anger on me," she said, pulling Harry down onto the couch.

"What on earth would make me that mad?"

"Well, I'm dating someone. And I wanted you to know before anyone else, but Lavender found out today and I was worried you'd hear this from someone other than me. And that would be sleazy."

"Right, so who are you dating? There's no way I'd be really pissed off unless it was Malfoy. And I know you'd _never _in a million years go out with Malfoy."

Hermione bit her lip. She should've seen this coming.

"YOU'RE GOING OUT WITH MALFOY?!" Harry exploded, rising quickly from the couch. Hermione remained silent. Harry's fists clenched into balls as he tried to control himself.

"Harry, wait," Hermione said as a glass sphere shattered against the wall opposite her. "Harry. Harry, WAIT! HARRY!" she screamed. He spun around.

"How dare you try and tell me to calm down! You dumped me for _Malfoy_! I don't believe you!" Harry said, throwing another sphere at the wall. Hermione pulled her knees to her chest, put her head down into her knees, and listened to the objects shatter against the wall. When all of them were gone, Harry began to rip apart books and throw them around.

Finally the noise stopped. Hermione heard Harry walk over to her and she felt him sit on the couch next to her. She dared raise her head and found a calm looking Harry sitting next to her, watching her.

"Ok. I think I can handle this if you just explain _why on earth you'd ever do this_," Harry said, looking intently at Hermione.

"Well, Harry...I think"—Hermione took a deep breath—"I think I love him."

"What about all those times he called you a mudblood? What about Malfoy the sex god? What about me and Ron? What about your voice of reason, Hermione? Have you lost that?" Harry asked her.

"He hasn't called me a mudblood since...a long time ago. He's not really a sex god, he told me so. You can get along with him fine, he'll be ok, I promise, and...well...him and Ron aren't going to get along."

"Understandably."

"And I don't appreciate you insulting my voice of reason, Harry. My heart is telling me to follow it, and I am. So I might be screwed, but I might be able to change him. So I'm going to try."

"But he's Malfoy, he can't change."

Hermione stood up. "Harry Potter, if you can't accept this, then I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You've been my best friend since first year, and I came here to tell you something because I cared that you knew! This is very important to me, and I want you to accept it. I swear to Merlin, Draco's different, and I hope you'll try and make peace with him." She turned on her heel to leave when she heard Harry's voice.

"Thanks for telling me, Hermione," Harry said timidly. Hermione turned around to see him standing, looking down at her very humble and pathetic indeed. She threw her arms around him and began sobbing into his shoulder uncontrollably. Harry held her reassuringly until Hermione could regain her composure again.

"Harry, please don't desert me. I won't have any friends after this gets around school."

Harry squeezed her tight. "Don't worry, Hermione. You'll always have me."

"Will you bring me back to my room?" she asked him, wiping her eyes.

"Of course, let's go," Harry said as he led them out of the and down the hall. When they reached the tapestry, Harry turned to go, but Hermione insisted that he follow her inside to see if Draco was there.

Hermione said the password, grabbed Harry's wrist, and pulled him through the tapestry to come face to face with Draco. Draco took little notice of Harry, and pulled Hermione into a warm embrace. Harry cleared his throat and Draco jumped a little. Hermione stepped back and watched the boys face off. Draco had always hated Harry, but he regarded the boy-who-lived with the utmost respect. Harry's livid expression was quickly replaced with a resigned surrender, and he extended his hand.

Draco took it, and they shook. "Take good care of her," Harry said. "I've got my connections...I'll find out if you don't."

Draco laughed. "You don't need to worry about me, Potter."

Hermione pulled them both in tight, hugging them with all her might. This wouldn't be so bad, would it?

A/N: Yay!  Ok, so my new goal is to get at least two chapters up every weekend.  But I might be working double-time this weekend, so maybe more than two?  I don't know.  Thanks so much for the reviews!  And keep in mind, everyone...more reviewsmore chapters!  And constructive criticism is always welcome, as are story ideas.  I'm suffering from writers' block, so if anyone has any brilliant thoughts, feel free to share!  You guys are great!


	12. Funerals

Chapter 12 

Word spread fast at Hogwarts, as usual. Lavender swore that she didn't tell anyone, but Hermione was positive Harry hadn't either. Students passed Draco and Hermione in the corridors and immediately began whispering.

"I can't believe Draco…"

"I can't believe Hermione…"

"I wonder if there's a love potion involved…Hermione did whip one up in fourth year…"

Hermione rolled her eyes at all of these comments, and Draco would look down his nose at someone with his icy cold stare, and they'd immediately stop talking. And in the case of some younger students, stop walking. Draco was a powerful person.

It was three days before the Halloween banquet, and Hermione was sitting in the common room searching through a book for every use of a dragon in potion making when she heard a tapping at the window. A barn owl was pecking, and Hermione let him into the common room. He dropped off an official-looking letter and flew back out the window. Hermione picked it up and saw Draco's name on it, so she walked to his door and knocked.

He opened the door, saw Hermione, and gave her a long kiss. "Do you need something?" he asked.

Hermione held out the letter for Draco, and he took it and opened it. As he read it, his expression became stone cold. Finally, he folded it back up, walked back to his bed, and sat on it, running his hands through his hair. Hermione turned to leave, but Draco held up a hand and said, "Stay."

Puzzled by what sort of news this letter could have brought, Hermione walked over and sat on his bed next to him. A single tear trickled down his cheek as he set the letter down on the bedside table. Instinctively, Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

"Read it," he told her. Hermione reached across him and picked it up off the bedside table, unfolding it. At once, she recognized the Ministry of Magic stamp at the top.

_To Mr. Draco Malfoy:_

_We regret to inform you that your father, Mr. Lucius Malfoy, passed away last night in the prison of Azkaban. The following morning, your mother, Narcissa Malfoy, passed away as well. We have informed the headmaster of these events, and you are to be excused from school for two days in order to attend the funeral and take care of other deals. _

_Alexander P. Gray, Department of Informants_

Hermione looked up at Draco in shock. He wiped away a tear and looked her in the eye. "Why did mother have to die?" he asked her, much as a young child would. Hermione hugged him, wishing she could make the pain disappear. One parent's death was a lot for a person, but both parents? Sometimes the world was very cruel.

"I hated my father," he told her, the tears finally stopped. "I wish that he would just die sometimes. And I don't regret that he did. But my mother…she didn't deserve the way he treated her. He was a cruel man, and…my mother is dead," he said finally.

"I'm so sorry, Draco."

"It's not your fault. I need to pack."

Hermione got up, holding Draco on the bed. "No, you need to rest. You can leave in the morning, I'll pack for you," she said. He obliged, putting his head on a pillow and shutting his eyes. Hermione pulled the covers up over him and began to pack for him.

When she had finished and closed his suitcase up, she decided that she needed to take a walk. She went to her room and pulled on a blue sweater and put a pair of shoes on before leaving the common room. Her first instinct was to head up towards Gryffindor Tower, but instead she went down to the dungeons. However, she had only turned one corner when she ran into Ron.

"Hey, Ron," Hermione said awkwardly.

"Hey, Hermione." He acted as though nothing had ever happened.

"What are you doing out?" she asked. It was nine o'clock.

"Gone for a run on the Quidditch pitch," he said, pointing at his track shoes. "What about you?"

"I just needed a walk," she told him. "I'll see you around."

Hermione turned to walk away. "Wait!" Hermione spun on her heel and looked at Ron.

"Yes?"

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened in Hogsmeade," he said, chewing his lip.

Hermione really didn't want to forgive him, but she had no choice. He _was _her friend after all. "No worries, Ron. Just promise it'll never happen again."

"I swear to Merlin. I don't know…why I did it. Too many drinks, I suppose."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you around."

They went their separate ways and Hermione continued down towards the dungeons when she was met by Blaise Zabini.

"Granger, what're you doing around here?" he asked. The Slytherins were still less than friendly to her, but Malfoy, being a Slytherin prince, had control, so they were civil. And Blaise was Malfoy's best friend ever since Crabbe and Goyle nearly got themselves blown up and landed in St. Mungo's. He was the only Slytherin other than Draco that didn't treat her like she was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. And Hermione was glad to see him.

"Oh, Merlin knows," she said, fighting the urge to just collapse then and there.

Blaise seemed apprehensive. "Uh-oh, something's really wrong this time."

"Follow me," she told him, and she led the tall man all the way to the Room of Requirement.

"Granger!" he said, his eyebrows raised in an amused, excited manner.

"Oh, you prick, it's not that," she said, unaware of why he'd ever want to have sex with her. He was, after all, second in line for the Slytherin throne, and consequently every girl's second choice. Well, now their first choice, since Draco was taken.

They entered the room, which this time was small and barren, with a single couch in it. "That serious, huh?" said Blaise as he watched Hermione sit down on the couch. "Did you and Drake break up?"

"No!" Hermione said defensively. "It's just…I really don't know how to say this…but Draco's parents are dead."

Blaise's jaw dropped. "Oh Merlin. Poor Malfoy."

"And he has to leave tomorrow for the funeral."

"How long will he be gone?"

"Two days."

"He'll be back in time for the masquerade ball."

"But he'll be too depressed and stressed out to go!"

Blaise held up his hand. "Say no more, Granger. I am an expert on your dearest Drakie, and you can trust me on this one: he'll be fine. He recovers very quickly, and he was never fond of his father anyways. And never quite too close to his mother. I think it'd be safe to say that you're the closest thing he's ever had to a mother."

"Are you sure?"

"Can the ladies not resist my charms?"

Hermione cracked a smile for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I can."

"You don't count."

"Oh, am I not a girl, Zabini?"

"How should I know? Anyways, I can't try my charms on you. You're Draco's, and he'd murder me. Anyways, seriously, don't spaz about this at all. Your man'll be fine."

"Thanks, Blaise," Hermione said, giving him a hug.

The next two days were like torture for Hermione. There were stares following her everywhere, and people were trying to figure out where Draco was. To top it all off, every time she returned to her common room, she expected to see Draco sprawled lazily across a sofa, but it was always empty.

After her last class on Friday, Hermione sprinted up to her common room in hopes of catching Draco when he returned. However, the room was empty as usual, so she went into her room and changed into gray pants and a green off-the-shoulder sweater. When she left opened the door leading to the common room, she was met with the sight of her knight in shining armor, digging frantically through his bag.

"Draco!" she said, trying to contain her relief and happiness. She failed, however, and ran across the common room, jumping into his arms.

"Hermione, I missed you so much," he said, kissing her long and hard. Hermione melted in his embrace, and Draco finally pulled away reluctantly.

"Cover your eyes," said Draco as he began digging through his bag again. Hermione complied, but peeked through her fingers. He pulled out a red velvet box before telling her to open her eyes again.

As soon as she had removed her hands from her eyes, Draco whipped open the box, and an enormous ruby winked at her in the candlelight. Draco picked up the necklace and put it on her.

Hermione fingered the thin silver chain. "Oh Merlin," she said. "I'm speechless, Draco."

He put the box down and pulled her in close. "I'm alright with that."


	13. Masquerade Ball

Chapter 13 

Hermione spent her Saturday with the gals (otherwise known as Ginny, Lavender, and Parvati). They chatted incessantly about their dates, their dresses, and their hair for the Halloween Ball that night. Ginny was going with Harry, Lavender was going with Dean, and Parvati was going with her Ravenclaw boy, whose name was yet to be known. And Hermione…well, she didn't officially have a date.

As evening neared, the girls changed into their costumes

Lavender's devil costume was tame compared to Ginny's outfit. Hermione was sure that Ron would have a fit as soon as he saw it. Ginny was going an angel, ironically. Her defense was that she was being thrifty by using all items from her wardrobe that she already had. She was wearing a short white skirt and a white tube top that you could nearly see through. Her wings had real feathers, and her mask was plain white. Her flaming hair was curled into ringlets by Lavender, and hung in a shiny red mass down to her mid-back. Hermione had to admit that she was pretty, but maybe a little bit more fabric would do her good. Lavender put on her devil costume, along with her knee-high red boots. If she and Ginny were on a street corner at night, they would definitely be mistaken for prostitutes. Parvati's costume was much more modest. She was going as a tree sprite, with a green and brown dress that went down to her knees.

When Hermione stepped out of the bathroom in her silver dress, the three girls gasped in unison. Parvati dropped her wand that she was using to curl her eyelashes with, and Hermione stared back at them. "Geez, I just put on the dress," she said.

Lavender sat Hermione down in a chair expertly and began working on her hair. She smoothed it down into silky curls like Kelly had done so long ago, and assured Hermione that they would stay in place for a week, even through showers. Hermione flipped through a recent issue of the magazine that she had seen Draco in, called _Wizarding World_. She flipped to the back and saw another picture of Draco at a party, dated August 31st. Hermione smiled to herself, aware of Draco's partying past.

When Lavender finished Hermione's hair and makeup, Hermione chanced a glance in the mirror. When she looked, she didn't even recognize herself. Her hair was sleek and shiny, and her face was flawless, with silver eyeliner and ruby red lipstick. She picked up her mask and shoes, and went down to the Great Hall with Lavender five minutes early to make sure everything was in place.

When they finished with the decorations, the students were allowed into the hall. Hermione stuck her mask magically to her face, and put her silver shoes on. Dinner was served, and as the students finished, the tables flew to the walls, and an orchestra struck a tune.

Hermione looked around, searching for Draco, but to no avail. Each student was wearing a mask, making it extremely difficult to tell who was who. Someone tapped her on the shoulder and held out his hand nervously. "May I have this dance?" he asked. Hermione grinned, looking at the red hair peeking out from beneath his ridiculously large hat. Ron seemed to be dressed as a musketeer or something of the sort.

They twirled around the hall to a traditional waltz, and then the music stopped. A new tune struck up, and people from wizarding families began dancing excitedly. Hermione recognized it as a popular song on the WWN.

Hermione, dateless, went to get a cup of punch. She sipped it through the next song, by the Weird Sisters. A familiar beat came on after that one, and she jumped up, unwilling to miss a chance to dance to this song.

She wandered around, trying to find someone to dance with when she wound up in the Slytherin corner. "Hey, who's this pretty little lady?" a familiar voice said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Zabini."

"Oh, hey Granger," he said, moving his hips to the beat as two girls attached themselves to him. "Sorry, I don't know where your darling is." With that, he disappeared into the crowd with the girls. _To do Merlin-knows-what_, Hermione thought to herself.

She continued through the crowd, looking for the shock of slivery-blond hair, but to no avail. Older students packed in around her on all sides as she brought her hand to her neck and stroked the necklace Draco had given her.

The song ended and Hermione gave up her search; she let herself go to the crowd and the music. She felt a guy come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. She turned around to find a knight dressed in silver with familiar silver-gray eyes. Hermione grinned to herself and wrapped her arms around his neck, still swaying to the beat.

"Where have you been all night?" asked Draco as he pulled her closer.

"Where have _you_ been all night?" Hermione retorted, smirking slyly.

"I asked first," Draco reasoned. "But I was looking for you."

"And I was looking for you, my knight in shining armor," Hermione jested.

The couple danced nearly all night long, with an interruption by Harry asking for a dance with Hermione.

"You know, Hermione," Harry began as they moved across the dance floor, "I never get to see you anymore."

"But you have Ginny," she said as Harry lost the beat. She took pity on him and guided him over to the refreshment table.

"Thanks, I can't dance for beans," Harry said as he poured them some punch. "But no, I don't have Ginny anymore."

"Why not?" Hermione exclaimed. "You did at the beginning of the night!"

Harry handed her a cup of punch. "Someone spiked the punch, and…well…she hooked up with Seamus," he said, downing his drink in one swift gulp. Hermione followed suit. The punch was definitely spiked.

"But that was just Ginny in a drunken stupor!" Hermione said. "You can patch things up!"

Harry poured another cup of punch for both of them. "Not after she told me I was an uptight butthead that she never wants to see ever again. And she only had three cups of punch."

Hermione didn't know what to say. Hopefully Harry and Ginny would patch things up. "I'm sorry, hun," she said, hugging him. Just then Draco walked over and shot a death glare at Harry.

"Hey Draco, wanna get me another cup of punch?" Hermione said, handing him her cup. She knew how much it drove him crazy to be treated like a servant, and gave him her cutest smile. Draco sighed and complied, pouring himself a cup as well.

Draco sat on Hermione's other side and took a sip of his punch as Blaise ran by and smacked him in the back of the head. The punch spilled all over his costume, but he swiftly pulled his wand out from under his robes and cleaned himself off before sending a curse in Blaise's direction. The handsome Slytherin tripped over himself and fell face first onto the floor in a group of fifth years.

"Anyways, it's nearly midnight. McGonagall is gonna send us up to bed soon," Draco said, raising an eyebrow suggestively at Hermione.

Harry opened his mouth to protest this blatant sexual suggestion when Ron plopped down next to him. Draco glared openly and Ron tried to match the Slytherin's expression.

"Hey, you guys can chill out any time now," Hermione said, trying to stop a fight from breaking out between Ron and Draco.

Professor McGonagall's magically magnified voice sounded through the hall, telling the students to head off to bed. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey, I'll see you guys tomorrow morning," Hermione said to her friends. She pulled Harry aside. "Don't worry about this thing with Ginny. You're too good for her anyways." This caused Harry's face to split into a wide grin as he hugged Hermione goodbye.

"M'lady," Draco said as he held out his arm for Hermione to take. Hermione looped her arm through his and they headed for the door. They exited the Great Hall amidst a stampede of students, all heading back to their common rooms. Hermione turned to walk to their common room, but Draco snaked his arm around her waist and led her out the doors to the grounds.

"Draco, where are you going?" she asked him, thoroughly confused.

"You'll see," he said mischievously as he led her down a stone path towards the Quidditch pitch. When they stepped off the path, Hermione's heel sunk into the soft ground, and she stopped to remove her shoes. They resumed, and Hermione swung her shoes by her side as Draco's firm grip around her waist kept her close to him.

Draco led Hermione through the locker room out to the pitch, and she gasped in amazement. Thousands and thousands of tiny lights were glittering like diamonds all around the pitch. They floated in the air and settled on the ground before taking off again.

"Draco, it's beautiful!" Hermione exclaimed as she dropped her shoes and walked out onto the pitch. The small lights fluttered around her and Draco followed her to the center of the field.

"I found out about it in my third year here. It'll be gone soon, it only lasts for a minute or two as soon as midnight hits," he said as he caught a few of the lights in his hand. He opened it to allow them to fly away, and as soon as they left his palm, the lights began to fall to the ground, and dusted Draco and Hermione gently, giving them a heavenly glow. Draco cupped Hermione's chin in his hand and lifted her face up to his, locking her lips into a passionate kiss. One by one, the glittering lights disappeared until the Quidditch pitch was completely dark again.

A/N: ok, I'm a lazy, lazy, lazy bum. And I definitely should've updated sooner. But my homework load is way too crazy for me to get two chappies a weekend. Believe me, I'm trying. Anyways, I promise anyone who reviews this chapter will get a shoutout (that's right, I'm starting shoutouts) next post. Happy Thanksgiving to you guys, and YAY for Prisoner of Azkaban being out on DVD. Tom Feltongorgeous.


	14. That Night

Chapter 14 

Draco picked up Hermione effortlessly and carried her across the grounds, back to their common room. When they got through the tapestry, Draco gently placed her on the couch in front of the fireplace, but Hermione rose from it and grabbed Draco's hand, smiling mischievously.

"Hermione!" Draco said, a perverted smirk crossing his face.

Hermione bit her lip and raised her eyebrow at the blonde Slytherin playfully, and he took the hint and led her to his room. As soon as Draco had pulled Hermione through the door, he pushed her against a wall and his lips collided with hers. Hermione closed her eyes and allowed her hands to roam all over Draco. They made their way towards the bed as they stripped their clothing off. Hermione was left in her silver bra and red panties while Draco pulled off his pants to reveal—what else?—green silk boxers. Hermione dropped back, giggling tipsily on the bed and pulled Draco with her. There was not a single thing in the whole entire world that she would rather have been doing at that moment.

"I love you," Draco said, looking into her eyes.

"I love you too," Hermione said, completely sure of it.

Draco moved his head to continue kissing Hermione, but she turned her head to the side, giving him access to her neck. He sucked and nipped his way down her slender neck to her collarbone as he unhooked her bra. He flung it aside as Hermione began slipping his boxers down. Those, too, were flung aside.

Hermione pulled Draco back up for passionate kiss, and then he leaned back leaving Hermione laying on her back on the green sheets, wishing for more. "You're positive this time?" Draco asked, his eyes pleading.

"I swear to Merlin. I want this," Hermione said, and Draco slipped her underwear off her long slender legs before getting back on top of her. He kissed her gently at first, deepening it as his hands moved down her sides to her hips. Hermione breathed deeply as Draco slid into her slowly. He was gentle with her, and knew precisely what to do. Hermione allowed small moans to escape her lips, and they grew louder and louder.

Draco's rhythm sped up with Hermione's as they came closer and closer to the peak. Finally, Hermione screamed in pleasure and ecstasy with Draco.

The panting couple collapsed in bed. Draco kissed Hermione softly as they fell asleep, exhausted.

Hermione rolled over, hugging the sheets tighter. _Not morning,_ she thought to herself. Her head pounded as she forced her legs off the edge of the bed. She stood up and stretched, feeling incredibly chilly. She rubbed her eyes open and looked down to see her body in its naked glory. Before she had time to pull a blanket around her body, a familiar blond head popped in the door to the bathroom. It was on the wrong side of the room.

"Good morning, babe."

Suddenly, everything came flooding back to her. Her dress was lying near the door from where Draco had removed it. Her bra and underwear were flung carelessly on the floor. The sheets were messed up, and she had woken up in Draco Malfoy's bed, naked. She and Draco had had sex. It sounded so strange and awful, yet so wonderful to her.

Hermione's mind raced, searching for a plan. She really hadn't meant to have sex with Draco Malfoy. If she was given the chance again, of course she'd do it, but that's only because she had no virginity to lose now. For lack of a better plan, she decided to act as though she had wanted to have sex with him, and it wasn't just all a drunken stupor. Even if it was in reality.

Hermione grabbed the green silk dressing robe off of Draco's desk chair and wrapped it around herself as Draco's head disappeared back into the bathroom. Her head was still pounding as she walked through the bathroom door to greet her boyfriend, who was wearing only a towel. Hermione bit her lip to keep herself from jumping on him then and there. Just because she had already had sex with him didn't mean she had to be a slut all of a sudden.

"Morning, sexy," Draco said as he walked over and tangled his hands in her hair, giving her a deep kiss.

"Right back at you," Hermione replied, biting her lip in a sultry fashion. She trailed her finger lazily down his chest, causing him to shudder. "Oh Slytherin party prince, you wouldn't happen to know a cure for a hangover, would you?" Her head pounded as though someone was beating her with a boot repeatedly, but she was determined to appear sexy.

Draco smirked sneakily. "Hermione Granger the bookworm…with a _hangover_?!" he said, raising his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Well, we all knew I was going to crack sooner or later," she replied, her finger tracing his six-pack.

"But who knew I'd be the one to do the cracking?"

Hermione was losing her patience, and her head felt as though it would burst soon. "So do you have a cure or not?" she asked, pulling her finger away.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "There is no such thing as a cure for a hangover. But, I have something that might help a bit," he said, running a hand through her hair. "But it's nasty."

"Well bring it on. Anything's better than this."

Draco looked doubtful. "Don't you dare be angry at me if you hate this," he said.

"Will you just fix this pounding headache?" she said, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Maybe it will and maybe it won't," Draco said, clearly enjoying the power he had over Hermione. His cocky smirk faded, however, at the mutinous look on Hermione's face. "Alright, alright, come on."

Relieved, Hermione followed Draco to his room. He extracted a flask from his drawer that contained a lumpy, hot pink potion. "My own patented Malfoy Hangover Cure," he said, handing it to her. "Just a sip'll do."

Hermione uncorked the flask and took a sip. By the time she had replaced the cork, she felt normal again, and the pounding had ceased. Draco took the flask and placed it back in his drawer. "Better?"

"Much," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his neck. He snaked his arms around her waist, and then pushed Hermione against the wall, locking her lips in a kiss. Hermione playfully pushed Draco away and bit her lip. "I have to go get ready for breakfast," she said, pushing a lock of blond hair behind his ear.

"Hermione—" Draco protested. Hermione simply turned on her heel and walked through the bathroom to her own bedroom, where she found a large barn owl perched on her desk. After skimming the first letter from her parents, she opened the second, which proved to be another letter from Kelly, of course.

_Hermione,_

_Come home, Hermione! Come home! You need me. You know it!_

_Anyways, I positively cannot wait until Christmas break. Except for that little part where you said you'd be locking me in a closet. But I'm excited beyond belief!_

I no longer am in need of your boyfriend-finding services at boarding school! I've got a boyfriend again. You might meet him when you come home for break. And speaking of meeting boyfriends, will I meet this Head Boy character? Are you two even that serious?

_You have to tell me how your Halloween was. Did you go with the HB? What did you wear? And most importantly, was there action?_

_Pardon my intrusion on your private life. But it's exciting that you have one now! No offense to the Hermione before my wardrobe invasion. I'm sure you'd be a lovely person without all the clothes you have now._

_Speaking of clothes, I know precisely what to get you for Christmas. Maybe clothes, maybe not. You'll see when you COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK!_

_Excited like never before,_

_Kelly_

Hermione laughed at how hyper (or drunk) Kelly must've been when she was writing the letter. Then she wrote a short response, leaving out the most important detail of her Halloween night, just in case her parents read the letter. She sent that and a quick response to her parents off with the owl.

Grabbing a towel out of her drawer, Hermione reentered the bathroom to find Draco at work brushing his teeth in front of his mirror. Hermione filled up the bathtub and realized she was still wearing Draco's dressing robe, and the owner of said dressing robe was avidly watching her in the mirror. Hermione grinned to herself and dipped a toe into the bath, testing the water. Then she quickly stripped off the robe and dove into the pool. Draco had already seen her naked before, so what was a little flash every now and then? And who was to say she wouldn't have sex with him again?

She resurfaced to find Draco staring at her, his toothbrushing finished. "Yes?" she asked, a smile playing around her lips.

"I never thought I'd see the day that Hermione Granger would strip while knowing I was in the room with her," Draco replied, the look of shock on his face turning into a smirk. He strode over to the edge of the pool, whipped his towel off, and dove in, surfacing on the opposite side of the pool.

"You've already showered today!" she said, watching Draco swim back towards her.

"So you want me to get out?" he said, putting his hands on the ledge of the tub, getting ready to push himself out.

Hermione floated lazily to her boyfriend, who began lifting himself out of the water. Hermione caught him by the waist and yanked him back underwater with her, and they rose to the surface, sputtering.

"So you want me to stay then?" he asked, smirking.

"Of course I do," she said. "What fun is a bath without Draco Malfoy?"

"No fun at all," Draco replied, pulling Hermione close.

A/N: I am the worst person in the entire world. I've had so many projects and homework and stuff to do that I didn't have time to write, and I'm using that as a lame excuse. And then I forgot about writing this until I got an email from Amber (aka Amanda Tuck) that knocked some sense into me. And so I finished this chapter and I'm working on another one, although I've got serious writer's block. So any help would be MUCH MUCH MUCH appreciated. Because I'm dying here, people! And I deserve to be hunted down by you people for neglecting this story for so long. So I'm changing my policy. While more reviews still quicker update (and I promise a quick update will be a matter of days now, not weeks), help and ideas SUPER FAST update. Like a day. Anyways, enough of me rambling.


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